Trek
by LiteFox
Summary: Cold. Chilling. ...cruel. He would survive; he'd always manage. He could breathe, he could thrive. This was his element. This was supposed to be his home. But...he didn't like it. He didn't want to be here. Why was he here? How'd he end up like this? Where were his teammates? Where were his friends? Where was his family? Where...where were his brothers?
1. Prologue

_Author's Note: 'Ello everybody, LiteFox here! Trek was a story that I started on DarkSpyro, but it got quite lonely over there after I think a year or so; it was going on for a while actually. Sooo, I thought I should post it here for your enjoyment. Nearly every chapter has been edited for this website, some parts have been completed rewritten, and I might even get rid of some of the filler(which it had tons of). Um, I guess T is a good rating for this, since there is a little violence, blood, crude language and stuff like that in usual. But Trek's not a bloodbath of any sort. Also, there's a crack shipping in here between a fancharacter and an actual character, so if you don't like the idea of mushy, loveydovey Swampskunk and Seapoodle romance, you know what to do...Which is definitely not flaming me in wild rage like some sort of fiery rhino motorcyclist. _

* * *

A Seadog stood on the edge of a dock, disgruntled. He wore a black, tattered cloak. The rest of his clothing was mere scraps the same color and texture as his cloak, ripped and scratched. He gazed at the ocean before him, delicately running his fingers through his cape. Why hasn't his crew arrived yet? His fur prickled anxiously. He cursed beneath his breath, shivering. It was frigid, the cold slithering under his garb, rubbing his fur. Worriedly, he began to gnaw on his arm.

The Seadog and his crew's plunder expedition hadn't been well for the past few months. How could a pirate make a living without the best of treasure? He used to be a skilled magician, working for a circus that had often come around the best villages to show their amazing tricks. The Seadog mastered the art of levitating items there, his favorite being cards. He called himself The Cardmaster, as he was the best at playing Pirate Cards, as well as levitating them.

His magic was hard to control at the time, it randomly bursting out at times. Due to his powers, he soon found out that the circus just wasn't for him. In a freak accident, he nearly killed everyone in the arena by using presumably a trick taught to him by none other than Master Eon, the one who he had created a bond with.

Retired, he had found his new occupation when he was taken in by a ragtag group of pirates, once led by Knifeteeth, the ruthless captain of the crew whose name was quite literal. The captain used the pup as a weapon, letting him invade villages with his abilities, while Knifeteeth would sweep up the rest, stealing all the treasures of the now abandoned village. But Knifeteeth had pushed his luck, and his leadership would be crushed by the one he called a runt.

But that was when he was only a Seapup. Now, he was a fully fledged adult. He was born a pirate, that was a fact. He kept a vicious grudge against Master Eon, the one who had shunned him when he returned to The Core of Light. Even more of his hatred was directed towards those meddling Skylanders. The Protectors of the Skylands had killed the one who had brought The Cardmaster into life itself. They hadn't even shown a lick of sadness! To think that he used to look up to those monsters! The Cardmaster clenched his fists, indignation rising. Momma would be avenged. Their leader, the one they called a Purple Dragon of Legend, would perish, The Cardmaster would make sure of that. Without their leader, they were nothing, they had no one to take commands from. They would be broken. When the time was right, he would enslave them, all of them.

His father, his righthand, had betrayed him, claiming that his own son was using _witchcraft_. He had gone soft, so The Cardmaster promptly exiled him from his crew. And that was the only decent exile he'd delivered in his life. Instead of letting them walk away easily, he liked to toy with them like a cat with a field mouse. He enjoyed letting them go insane, having them bitten by various types of Snappers, an eel-like carnivorous species he had grown fond of over the years. Some Snapper venom was mild, while others were severe. They slowly lulled their victims into insanity, and it was quite hilarious to watch in The Cardmaster's opinion. Sometimes, the victims would even kill themselves. Other times, the captain would go old-school, pushing them off the edge of the ship, stabbing them, allowing his own crewmates to wrestle the enemy, poisoning, ambushes, and his favorite: the snapping of the neck.

But due to all of his slaughter sprees, his crew had declined over the years, and now The Cardmaster's savage crew was nothing more than a speck of memories. Fame and fortunate was something The Cardmaster wanted dearly. The circus' spotlight had etched into his brain, making him believe that attention was everything. No doubt, when you were the leader of the Skylanders, you got plenty of attention. Like his crew, his magic as well had decreased. If he wanted to be Supreme Ruler of the Skylanders, and maybe even Skylands itself, he needed to do something about it. And that's where his new, wyvern friend comes in.

Abruptly, a sheep padded up to him. It bleated at the grimacing canine. The Cardmaster stopped nipping his fur, ears flicking at the noise. He pointed his finger at the fluffball with a snarl. The sheep stared at him in confusion, some what unamused. It bleated again before hopping away. The Cardmaster turned his attention back towards the sea with a grunt.

His powers had gotten even weaker than he thought. The pirate exhaled and closed his eyes. He opened his clenched fists. The dog looked down at his palm. Only a small spark of blue light flickered on his paw.

He sighed, his ears flattening back in stress. Why was magic so hard to make all of a sudden? Was it because he wasn't concentrating? The Cardmaster's thoughts were soon interrupted by a large ship making its way towards him. He immediately perked up. **His** ship was making way. The Cardmaster waited eagerly as the crew docked the large craft.

On the inside, he was dancing with anticipation. But on the outside, he still carried his blank, calculating expression.

''Cap'n! 'Ey, mate!'' a Seadog waved. He sported splotches of brown on his fur, while the rest of his coat was a filthy, tawny shade. Earrings were pierced into only his right, torn ear, the accessories rusted by seawater. He wore a shirt appeared to be made from a potato sack, it stitched up at the sides.

That was Patches, his **new** righthand. Jumbled barks split the air, his crew all following the other Seadog. Was his crew actually happy to see him? ''We rounded up some 'landers!'' Patches barked. Rounded up some landers?

''My client asked for healthy, young elementals!'' The Cardmaster bayed, stamping a foot. Rounding up Skylanders was his job!

''But we've got healthy, young elementals! And they're beauts! Females, cap'n!'' Patches sure had seemed proud of his pillage, a smile across his face. Females? They already had a trio of irritating, French Seapoodles on their side.

''How many?'' The Cardmaster asked. Patches placed an elongated plank onto the dock, making a pathway for his captain. The Cardmaster saw him whisper among the others, having a brief conversation.

''Uh, two,'' Patches hesitated.

''Bring 'em out!'' The Cardmaster ordered bluntly.

The righthand conversed among his friends again, before being tossed two sacks. He walked down the plank, still grinning. He dropped the sacks, ''A blue horse thingy and a gem reptile thingy.''

Randomly, The Cardmaster kicked one of the bags, snickering to himself. A light blue horn struck out of the battered sack, it radiating some light. The other bag had torn holes in it, light also ebbing from it. ''You've done a mighty fine job here. He shall be happy once he lays his eyes on these...beauts.'' he said. ''Now get 'um back on the ship! I can't take any chances, none, not we these damned vigilantes runnin' around. We're trustin' no one from now on, got it?''

Patches blinked, ''But-''

''Go! ''


	2. All In A Day's Work

Magna Charge dashed through the field, sparks of electricity jumping off of his wheel. He wore a very determined expression as he bolted. The Ultron suddenly halted as he spotted multiple herds of sheep in his way. His pupil dodged from one side to another as he stared at all of them. Magna almost felt like counting all of them, the creatures were somehow so intriguing.

''**WOOOOOOHOOOO**!'' a shrill, yowling noise came from behind Magna Charge. A blur of blue flew past him. ''You've gotta be faster than that if you wanna keep up!'' it snickered. Freeze Blade was now avoiding all the sheep in the way, sliding in between the groups. Magna Charge was still observing the sheep before looking up to see Freeze Blade in the lead. Without hesitation, he lifted up all the sheep with his magnetic force and throwing the herds all at the cat. Freeze Blade was tackled by a wave of fluffballs, concealed beneath the pile.

''Hahaha!'' Magna Charge released a mechanical chuckle before dashing off again.

He bolted into the forest, still snickering. That was until an icy chakram hit him in the back of his head. The Ultron fell in surprise. He turned to see Freeze Blade trying to remove the sheep that were statically attracted to his clothing. Ignoring the annoying ungulates, he skated forward.

The robot was shaking his head at the minor headache in his circuits, but was still hungry for a race. Freeze Blade, even though being slowed down by daft, hoofed animals, was swiftly staggering his way towards the gradually moving yet fast Magna Charge. The Ultron was far ahead of the cat and close to the one of the bases of the Skylanders, the Mainland. The floating island was a very close neighbor to the Ruins. The Lost Islands were the few other sites for the Skylanders, but even they still had to fix the destruction that seized the islands.

Magna Charge wasn't very familiar with the newest areas, as Cloudbreak would forever be where he belonged. Besides his homeland, he'd been on an isolated piece of land for a majority of his life. Surprisingly, he was still growing, due to his species being a close relative to the Arkeyans. The Ultron was about to make his way past the Mainland Borders and was interrupted by a Sky Baron, named Jet-Vac.

''Racing again, are we lad?'' he asked, smiling. Magna nodded.

''Gill's been searching for you and a few others. He sent me out to fetch you.'' Jet-Vac said with a snicker. ''He's been acting like this ever since Spyro left. Crazy fish...'' The anthropomorphic avian turned to see Whirlwind, slowly walking towards the two. ''C'mon, Whirl. We still have to find Bash, Rubble, Smolder-.'' Jet-Vac started.

''Alright, alright, I'm coming...'' Whirlwind replied, her head hanging low as she blinked her weary eyes. The hybrid's been so tired ever since she returned from her mission. She hadn't said much either and was rather jumpy and glum. The unidragon lifted off into the air to fly above the bird, lazily.

* * *

Two bats hung upside on a branch of a tree, their wings covering their faces. The larger bat was a misty, light blue, while the smaller bat was a shade of purple. They were huddled up against each other, shifting their wings as they slumbered. The sun had already revealed itself, irritating the duo with its burning light. But they ignored it to the best of their abilities. To them, it only was a pesky, luminous orb that constantly ruined their sleep.

''Are you awake?'' the smaller one whispered.

''No.'' the bluish bat curtly replied.

''...Should we get up?''

''No.''

''Kay..._Mister Grumpygrumps_.''

''Don't ever call me that again..._Brawl_.''

''But I have nicknames for everyone!''

''Ugh, I think Freeze Blade is rubbing off on you.''

''Does that mean I can call you...Cranky?''

''...''

''Or Dracula?''

''...''

Without getting a good answer, the she-bat nestled back into her wings and closed up her eyes once more, ''I'll just keep callin' ya Grumpygrumps.''

''What are you two doing up there? It's time for your patrol!'' There was an exclaim that split the air, but they hadn't really cared at the moment. ''Are you even listening to me?!'' The shout returned.

That was until the bats were soaked with a jet of water, of course, leaving the smaller one to yelp in surprise with sputters, while the other only stood still, growling beneath his breath. With their wings off their faces, familiar features had been shown. The larger bat had tufts of white fur on the sides of his face and big, tusk-like fangs sticking out of his mouth. The smaller bat had only two, tiny fangs, strands of pink in her pelt.

''What, what?! Have you ever heard of nocturnal?'' the blue bat asked Gill Grunt. The Gillman had stood smugly beside Hot Dog, the little canine uncontrollably yipping. He spiraled around in circles, chuffing laughter. He abruptly attacked the tree, pawing intently at it.

''**ARF**!'' Hot Dog had startled the bats, making them flap their wings in alarm.

''Get off of the tree.'' Gill Grunt demanded, pointing his harpoon gun at them and then at the ground.

''Ruff! Get off of tree! Off tree!'' Hot Dog echoed, waggling his flaming tail.

''Bah!'' the bluish bat retorted to the Gillman.

''Your undead patrol is ready.'' Gill Grunt replied, ignoring the angry bat.

''Already?!'' the purple bat asked, her eyes wide in disbelief. She turned, staring directly into the sun. ''Aah! Too bright, too bright!'' the winged creature shrieked, covering up her face again with only one wing.

''Just get ready and fast.'' Gill Grunt said, turning tail.

''Ready!'' Hot Dog repeated, before bounding after the Gillman, happy as can be.

The bats watched the two leave. In a flash, they turned into the vampiric Skylanders known as Night Shift and Roller Brawl.

''Aw maaan, I was just getting comfortable...'' Roller Brawl slouched, pushing back a strand of her soaked hair.

* * *

Stealth Elf bolted, her braided ponytail waving in the wind. She was deep into the forest, her figure almost hidden by all the green. The elf launched herself over a log, swiftly. The Skylander was being chased by something she could not see: another ninja. Three shurikens were thrown at her, but she blocked them with her large, golden blades, the stars becoming stuck on the edge of her weapons.

She glanced up, trying to spot her opponent in the trees. But the enemy was just as quick as her, and she only caught a glimspe of him. _Hm, he's doing better than usual_, Stealth Elf thought. _I'm surprised he hasn't fallen out of the trees again._

Stealth Elf couldn't see or hear the enemy, but she could still definitely smell him, heavy, heavy emphasis on smell. Even with something covering her nose, traces of musk weren't left unfound. She gazed back up at the trees, actually finding her pursuer this time. He looked down at Stealth Elf from on top a tree branch, waving his bushy tail excitedly.

He leapt down onto a flat rock and rose his head from above the bushes. The enemy swiveled his head. Where was Stealth Elf? He turned his head to the right once more. Seeing nothing, he returned to look in front of him. A sudden tap on the shoulder made him turn back to the right._ ''_Oooo_..spoooky...'' _Stealth Elf drawled.

''**GAH!**'' he fell back in surprise, striped tail frizzing up. Stealth Elf shook her head in joyous disbelief, snickering.

''D-don't scare me like that!'' the enemy stuttered. He got up, brushing the dirt off of his green pelt. He should've known. Stealth Elf had done this countless times before to her sneaky companion. Frankly, it still was still very, very scary.

''But it's fun!'' Stealth Elf replied.

This ''enemy'' was named Stink Bomb, one of the trio of ninja Skylanders. He was easily frightened, sometimes even saying ''boo'' could make him curl up into a ball like a hedgehog. Today, they were training. Training without their new, brilliant, aquatic leader's permission. They've been at it ever since Spyro left for one of his special, secret, important misson-y things, Stink Bomb didn't really know. The purple dragon usually kept most things under wraps and discussed his quests among Gill Grunt and Trigger Happy. Why trust the crazed, gunslinging gremlin? Earnestly, to mostly everyone it seemed like a bad idea.

''Isn't an apprentice trained under one of the great masters of surprise supposed to be well not so..surprised?'' Stealth Elf joked.

''I wasn't surprised! I was...being cautious...'' Stink Bomb said, his voice shrinking. Those weren't the same, right? He cleared his throat. ''I mean, pssh, I was just being cautious.'' he crossed his arms. ''You didn't scare me.''

''I'm not that gullible, skunk.''

''I never said you were, elf.''

Abruptly, Stealth Elf pinched Stink Bomb, unamused.

''Ow, geez, wh-what was that for?!'' Stink Bomb rubbed his arm.

''A ninja is always supposed to expect the unexpected.''

''B-but th-that was just random!''

Stealth Elf only shrugged, ''Unexpected, random, tomato-''

''Ew, ew, ew! Don't bring up one of my weaknesses in this conversation, Stealth...'' Stink Bomb shuddered. The skunk proclaimed that he had multiple weaknesses, or rather things that he was extremely afraid of. He wasn't fond of crowds, due to some...kithood incidents. To put it lightly, let's just say he got ''nervous''. Heck, even Hoot Loop was kinda creepy. Stink Bomb practically could write a whole list about his fears, but the worst of all was...the b-word, as he'd dubbed it, for even saying its true name made shivers run down his spine. The b-word was sudsy with fragrant, alarming bubbles and foam on its liquidy surface. It was absolutely horrific!

''They don't weaken you, they weaken your stench...Barely.''

''Musk is an extremely precious virtue, for your information.''

''I won!'' Freeze Blade's voice was heard from behind the two ninja. The two stared at him in confusion. The cat's suit was covered in small tufts of sheep wool. The fluff was even in his mouth. Freeze Blade groaned, baring his teeth. ''He won didn't he?'' the feline asked, monotone.

''Um, Magna Charge?'' Stink Bomb questioned, tilting his head.

''No, Humpty Dumpty.'' Stealth Elf said.

''Why are you so...so..sassy today?!'' Stink Bomb inquired.

''Hey, hello, I'm over here, Ice Cat in distress! Where'd he go?'' Freeze Blade waved rapidly.

''Sorry, Freeze. We've been here all-'' Stink Bomb began. Without another word, Freeze Blade sped off.

''Day...'' Stink Bomb finished.

''He'll be back... Besides, Magna went the other way.'' Stealth Elf responded. The duo heard Freeze Blade stumble with a surprised yelp with strange amount of commotion, even though he merely tripped.

The two stared for a moment, alerted. ''He'll be fine.'' The thought of the cat being hurt jolted past Stealth Elf's head. ''Now, get back up into those trees!''

''But climbing's hard...'' Stink Bomb whined.

''Ah, ah, ah, we won't go out of our way to swap with Spy Rise.'' Stealth Elf chided, waving her finger.

''I'm not a kit...and I'm not a climber.'' Stink Bomb pouted.

''Something tells me that you want to meet Surprise again.''

Stink Bomb's eyes lit up. Surprise the Tiger, often refered to as Surprise Tiger, was another form of Stealth Elf...or a familiar of Stealth Elf. Stink Bomb hadn't really known, but he definitely knew that Surprise was deathly terrifying. He didn't want to be turned inside out today. ''I like climbing! Yeah!'' Stink Bomb hurriedly scurried towards the nearest tree.


	3. Bandits

''Tell us what happened next!'' a seadog pup exclaimed, his eyes filled with curiosity.

Wash Buckler was telling stories to the neighborhood Seapups...again. He often came around this Skyland, as it was the village where he found his first crew, not to mention that it was heavily populated by others like him. He didn't like to think that they were villains, more like anti-heroes instead. When we was just a wee orphaned Squidling, he was taken in by a gang of pirates. Wash Buckler taught them how to be good people, while they provided him a family.

But, he was now a Skylander, and he had to leave his pirate crew behind. He hadn't seen them in a while. The Mermasquid was positive that they were still fighting crime, though. ''There I was, staring directly in the eyes of a possessed Cloud Kraken!'' Wash Buckler said, very enthusiastic.

''Cloud Kraken?! Possessed?! T-that's like a whole clan of Land Whales and a Drow Armada put together!'' a pup barked in disbelief.

''What happened then?'' another asked, his mouth agape.

''My crew and I fought the beast for hours, trying to cut its tentacles off of the ship.'' Wash Buckler replied.

All of the pups stared intensely at the Mermasquid.

''Did...did you die?'' one squeaked, her voice cracking with worry.

''No, little pup, not at all. We threw buckets of fish out into the water, as bait.'' Wash Buckler smiled.

''And the Cloud Kraken fell for it.'' he added.

''J-just like that?'' the female pup yelped.

''Yeah.'' Wash Buckler grinned.

The Seapups fell silent for a moment. ''Whoa, you're so awesome Wash Buckler!'' one of the male pups bayed.

''You're a pirate captain and a Skylander! That's radical!'' another said.

Skylander? A wave of remembrance had promptly fell over Wash Buckler. _Gill's gonna be pissed_, he thought. ''I've gotta go, kids.'' Wash Buckler hastily announced to the pups.

''Wha? Already?! What about the-''

''Y-yeah, the SWAP Force is calling me.''

''Really?! Awesome!''

''Can you tell us about how you spli-'' one of the pups started.

''Maybe later! Bye!'' Wash Buckler interrupted, quickly walking away.

As he was walking past the multiple, shabby houses and buildings of the village, he heard grunts and enraged barks coming from inside a saloon.

''Hey! Get back here!'' a burly voice called from inside, drowned out by the other shouts.

''Wonder what that could be,'' Wash Buckler stopped, unsheathing his cutlass.

A parade of thoughts drifted throughout his mind. What if a whole pack of Chompies had invaded? Or what if...what if it was a battle! _Just like in the old days_, he thought. A battle between a group of pirates and another group of pirates wasn't so farfetched, he'd seen it trillions of times before! Wash Buckler raised his cutlass, gazing intently at its blade. He could go for a little tussle.

Gill had been babysitting them for weeks now. It was quite aggravating, for they had a whole list of rules that he stated that Spyro had gave him personally. Of course, no one really believes him, even the Water Skylanders started to rebel against their commander. Many Skylanders had tried to sneak off, but they were all caught by the Gillman's trusty, flaming canine. Hot Dog was just loyal like that. Give him a treat, and he'd be best, best buddies with you.

But there was a catch. The extremely stealthy Skylanders could sneak off, and Stink Bomb, Trap Shadow, and Stealth Elf were not easy ones to find. Unlike the others who trained in the forest, Trap Shadow was mostly found slumbering on a tree branch, or taking a catnap, acting as if he respected Gill Grunt's laws. But even he disappeared in seconds, leaving no trace that he'd even been in existence, unlike the skunk. Stink Bomb and Stealth Elf had to come up with excuses to get out of doing patrols and such. When the ''we went foraging for Ghost Roaster'' excuse came up, they carried handfuls of random fruits into the Mainland. Stink Bomb, using his ''artistic'' skills, had always created different acts, he'd even given Stealth Elf lines. And surprisingly, all of their strange excuses slipped Gill Grunt's mind, for he actually believed them.

''Don't let the mongrel escape!'' Wash Buckler snapped out of his thoughts, hearing more commotion. It wasn't hard to see that this criminal was feminine. She wore a cloak, but her shadowy garb barely hid her snowy, white fur and her bouncy, fluffy ears. Some glitter glimmered on her black cape. She carried a small sack of something in her paws, it making clinking noises as she dashed away. This mongrel didn't appear mongrel-y at all. In fact, she was rather attractive in a strange, doggish way...And somewhat adorable. Wash Buckler immediately felt like slapping himself, mentally cringing. What was he doing?!

Normally, Wash Buckler would attack the sprinting enemy. But this was a she-beard. He couldn't hit a lady, could he? The Seadog turned to spot Wash Buckler. ''Bonjour!'' she smiled, blowing the Mermasquid a kiss. She raced to a flying ship that was awaiting for her. A Seadog brown splotches on his dark fur quickly dropped a plank onto the ground.

''Get your tail up here, Poochie!'' he growled.

''Au revoir, cuttlefish! I shall draw you in my d-'' the Seapoodle began, waving at Wash Buckler.

''Hurry!'' the other Seadog exclaimed.

The bandit made it onto the floating ship and the her companion removed the plank from the edge of the craft.

''Cowards!'' a Squidface Brute ran outside of the bar, raising his anchor in anger. A group of pirates came out of the bar, all maddened. ''After that ship!'' the Squidface Brute growled. A batch of some pirates promptly followed orders, while others stood behind, hesitant. A few pacifists howled, grinning like fools.

''Call me!'' one shouted. The clamors continued to clutter, and Wash Buckler even saw a few pirates swoon. He wasn't sure if that was because they had downed one too many, or because they were utterly mesmerized by their fluffy traitor.

The bandit smiled from the deck, gazing upon her loving fans, and fierce pursuers. ''Aren't they adorable?'' she asked her splotchy companion.

''Boneheaded Romeos is more like it.''

''You are denying the truth, ami. Wuv is a beautiful thing.''

The patterned pirate looked boggled, ''Amy? That's not...Nevermind.'' he decided that he didn't want to attempt to understand the French lingo, scratching at a ear.

The enraged group of various creatures below them started to ram their weapons into the ship, surprisingly dealing a large amount of damage.

'' 'Ey! Stop that you...you nitwits! You're hurtin' The Esper, you lot! Smoke 'em out, Pooch!''

Without another word, the Seapoodle tossed perfume bottles that immediately exploded on impact, creating a flowery, pink smokescreen. In mere seconds, their pursuers started to gag. Wash Buckler hadn't been fazed, for he had been out of the line of fire.

The ship had already fled, but Wash Buckler could still faintly see the giddy Seapoodle, waving again.

''Darn rogues!'' the Squidface Brute grumbled, still choking among the cloud of fragrance.

* * *

Trap Shadow blinked his shimmering eyes wearily, sleep like a fog on their surface. He lay on a thick tree branch, his arms and legs drooping down from it, his fur rubbing against the wood. What was taking so long? _The sun's up_, he pondered. _And they still haven't found me, pfft, some tracker Hot Dog is. _He flexed his claws, starting to gaze around, aimlessly. _I might as well just leave. _He placed his paws upon the branch, pushing himself up. Luckily, it didn't even seem to budge at his weight. Even if it did, he had already devised a plan to break his fall. His cat-like cunning was unstoppable. Sometimes, he thought he was even smarter than Spy Rise. He smiled at that thought, his teeth glinting underneath the sun's rays. Trap Shadow took a deep whiff of the air, like usual, checking his surroundings. It was crisp. There had been some drizzle here and there only a few days ago, but all of the rain had made up for this sunny morning. His ears jolted up at the slightest rustle of leaves; his senses were always alert. They quickly flattened though, for this ''threat'' was only a brightcolored, turquoise bird. And a long smile promptly produced itself onto Trap Shadow's face. The avian hopped about, and Trap Shadow watched it's every move. The predator whistled, mimicking the bird's chirp. But it had faltered a bit, for a devious hiss rose into his throat. His bird call sounded more like a dying animal or a crippled Kangarat more than anything, which wasn't very soothing to his prey. The bird lifted its tiny head at the sound, its feathers shaking uneasily.

''Aaaand it's gone.'' Trap Shadow mumbled. The bird had quickly fled, light feathers drifting in the wind. Trap Shadow grabbed one out of the wind, but it had made him lose a little balance as well. He promptly tightened his grip by clutching onto the tree, hurriedly. It was a good thing he was isolated. He didn't want to be called a _treehugger_, that was Stink Bomb territory. After a few moments, Trap Shadow leapt off of the branch, perfectly landing on the ground. The feathers of the bird were still there, its scent spiraling around Trap Shadow's nostrils, it being more enticing than ever. He swiped his tongue around his sabers. Perhaps it was time to get his fill. It hadn't been long for him to make his decision, in fact, the simple thought was quite swift to pass by. He had already been stalking away from his sleeping grounds.

The Mainland wasn't far away, it seemed like if he took only two, big steps, he was there. In the morning, it wasn't usually bustling with Skylanders, so he was used the barren grassland before him. It had seemed like everyone that had been crammed inside none other than The Café, Trap Shadow's next destination.

Every one crammed inside the Café, indeed. Trap Shadow couldn't keep his eyes from darting, trying to comprehend the crowd of comrades. Of course, Slobber Tooth had been helping himself to a chair, growling as he tried to break a leg off, dribble pouring from his mouth like a waterfall. All of the chatter made Trap Shadow flatten his small ears back. Ghost Roaster worked alone behind counter accompanied with some seats among it, his eyes narrowed at feline's arrival. The shatter of glass and the crackle of lighting made Trap Shadow crumble the stareoff, glancing back at a bolting, blue gremlin and an extremely enraged Undead dragoness.

''Gangway!'' Pop Fizz hollered. He carried a platter, flasks of soda upon it. They were all stacked onto each other, shaking with quick jitters. Surprisingly, they hadn't tobbled over yet. Cynder halted her chase, her claws creating an eerie squeak as she dug them into the floorboard. She promptly snapped her attention to Trap Shadow, producing the best smile she could muster, which looked more like creepy, crooked smirk. She stalked over to him with the flick of her tail. Cynder gazed at him expectantly. ''Forgetting something, Tiger?'' she asked.

Trap Shadow tilted his head for a moment. His cunning ebbed away from him until realization hit him like a rock. He dug into his bandana, shifting it around until his pulled out the bedraggled corpse of a mouse. ''You promised mutton.'' Cynder muttered.

Trap Shadow shrugged, ''Eh, you know how Wash Buckler can be. I'm on a curfew, nowadays.''

Cynder only snorted, ''Yeah, yeah...Now hand it over, all the pancakes here are getting boring.'' Trap Shadow proceeded to toss the corpse, and Cynder caught it like a domesticated animal of sorts. It was quite weird to watch her eat. She had retractable teeth, jagged, pointed fangs that dug deep into her prey's flesh. Once unsheathed, she shook it like a ragdoll, shredding meat. But unlike any other day, she devoured it whole. ''What brings you here?'' she asked, her teeth slinging theirselves back into her gums. Trap Shadow had to blink a few times, still bewildered by her eating habits.

A lot of the Skylanders had...unique ways of eating their food and they had different diets. Most of them were omnivores, at least Trap Shadow thought so. Night Shift and Roller Brawl took turns bringing each other food, like woodland creatures and such, and they ripped it apart together, drinking the blood that dribbled out of it. Trap Shadow was mostly carnivorous as well, only going to leafy green stuff when needed. His companion, Stink Bomb, on the other hand was completely different. But even he, the nature lover, could be a little carnivorous at times. He was rather insectivorous, since Trap Shadow had caught him a few times scavenging for grubs, larvae and other vile, little crawlers. Well, not scavenging, gorging himself was more like it. When a hungry Stink Bomb and oblivious Sparx crossed paths, he sometimes gave the dragonfly strange looks, drifting off into his animalistic side. Dune Bug was quite cautious around him. Stink Bomb usually wouldn't hurt a fly, but he might just eat the fly instead if he was alone.

''You know, I just thought I'd visit, see what all the commotion was about. I got kinda bored with playing Hide and Sneak with Gilly.'' Trap Shadow responded. He padded up to Ghost Roaster and sat down on one of the chairs, grinning. ''Hey Roast-'' Trap Shadow began. The Undead being uttered a bloodcurdling hiss, his creepy tongue flailing in mid-screech. He curtly returned to his cooking with a low growl. ''Roastie.'' Trap Shadow finished, swiping some ectoplasm spittle off his snout.

''He's still mad about the...Incident.'' Cynder stated. She clambered up on of the chairs, smoothing its cushion out with her claws.

''Oooh...what incident? The time Spyro forgot his name, the time Tree Rex forgot his name, the time Wash Buckler forgot his name, the time when the Mabu he saved forgot his name, or the time we all forgot his...birthday?'' Trap Shadow calculated on his paws. ''I think there's a couple more, though.''

''The recent one.''

''When he was forgotten about on the battlefield?''

''Not exactly. Today we had one of those...Undead patrols. You know, the new stuff Grunt just pulled out his gills. That fish is truly something.''

''Hold that thought, Cynder.''

Cynder blinked, ''Why?''

''My fur is tingling. My prey is near.'' Trap Shadow whispered.

Cynder blinked, ''What?''

Without another word, Trap Shadow cloaked himself, and stalked out of the Cafe. Alone, Cynder turned her attention back to Pop Fizz, the gremlin struggling to keep his sodas balanced. ''I said only one! Only one!'' she stamped a claw onto the pillow before leaping off of the chair, charging towards the gremlin. ''Enough with the soda!''

* * *

Gentle winds rubbed against the sides of the Esper, The Cardmaster's Skyship. The Esper was a rather worn down craft and she was gradually falling apart as the days grew onwards. She had survived through many dangers, enemy pirates, storms, fires, and more. It had been only The Cardmaster's magic that had kept her together. Unfortunately, using all of his magic took a lot of strength out of him, and he had to replenish everday, injecting himself with whatever elixir madness he held in the ''Secret Room''. That was what Poochie the Seapoodle had dubbed it, anyway.

She and her sisters, Cookie and Candy, had been traveling with The Cardmaster for months. It was all because of a deal The Cardmaster set up with Poochie, or the Treacherous Trio as they were referred to by other pirates. Behind all of that adorable fluffiness, thieves lurked. Poochie and her sisters were masters at stealing. One would set up a cute, little show in the middle of a plaza filled with inspecting citizens, one would dance and sing, and the other would scavenge among the crowds, pickpocketing. Sometimes they switched it up a bit by using an everyday, girly item: perfume. They could create pink, sparkly smokescreens that blinded and overwhelmed their victims. Just with that puff of perfume, they would be gone within the blink of a burning, agitated eye.

But, when they weren't stealing things, they were the complete opposite: The Treacherous Trio were just like puppies. Poochie, the leader of the group, had always fancied about the Skylanders, the beings that The Cardmaster had always ranted about. Frankly, she thought that they were mesmerizing.

They were so...different. They were so odd. They were so unique. Everyday for them seemed like an adventure! The Skylanders were always doing something; something fun! Poochie wanted a bite of that action. Even if it were just for a day, she would be pleased. The Cardmaster really kept the Seapoodles all cooped up in The Esper, but she'd seen them from a far. A few days ago, she was able to meet the two, female captives who happened to be Skylanders, but only for a little while, for The Cardmaster had escorted the trio away. They didn't seem like the bloodthirsty, vile, smelly monsters The Cardmaster spoke of. ''Here you go, little fishies...'' Poochie cooed.

It was early, so much her crewmates had been asleep, such lazy scallywags. It just hadn't seemed right to leave the Snappers starving, so she usually fed them crumbs of bread out of her bag when no one was looking. Even if she was a bandit, she wasn't that heartless. She sprinkled the morsels into the Snappers' home, which happened to be only a barrel filled with seawater. Poochie stared intently at the multiple creatures. They didn't seem to even notice the crumbs. The slimy predators just continued to squirm around the barrel like worms; deadly, scary worms with mouths full of rows of teeth that went around in an endless circle.

She watched as one devoured one of its neighbors, the others joining in, ripping its flesh apart with their dreadful fangs. The dirty water became even darker, red spilling into the mixture. Poochie yelped, putting a blanket on top of the barrel, as The Cardmaster believed it had soothed them. But the horrific noises of a bloody feast still remained. Poochie turned around and shuddered. And yet, The Seapoodle perked up in the matter of seconds. Reaching inside her bag, she brought out her favorite item: her diary.

The book happened to be filled with her doodles of the Skylanders, and writings of what she believed their names were. Poochie was particularly fond of Rainbow, the winged, feathery unicorn thingy, and Jewel the gemcovered dragon, for those were the first Skylanders she ever got to get up close to. She met a few recently, the newest being a Mermasquid, who'd she decided to name Cuttlefish.

Fetching a black crayon out of her pants' pocket, she started to draw on a new page. She carried her utensils where ever she went; even on stealing expeditions. ''Adventure...Skylanders...Boys...'' she sighed wistfully.

If she had an adventurous Skylander boy, her life would be so fun! He needed to be artistic; a trait that Poochie had attempted to develop on her time on The Esper. Oh, and he needed to be fluffy, he needed a big, fluffy tail. A tail that she should wrap around her neck and wear like a furry boa, so he would be always by her side. He should be able to disappear, just like Poochie! W-what if he was a ninja?

In mere moments, she promptly shoved her crayon's tip onto the paper, scribbling out her new thoughts, starting to her usual stroll throughout The Esper.

* * *

_Snappers? Look up Lampreys, in my mind they look pretty much like those guys..._


	4. Threats?

Spyro was half-awake and half-asleep, but he could still hear the meeting going on amongst him. He uttered a soft, small groan, grimacing in dismay. Flavius sat next to him, snoring as loud as a dragon could. He'd warned Spyro about how long the activity would take; but the leader of the Skylanders didn't think it would be this long! This wasn't just any regular meeting, this was a Royal Petitionary, and Spyro was the honorable guest. To the left of him, sat King Ramses, sitting on his magnificent throne. Spyro had gotten a throne too, a temporary throne, but nonetheless it was a throne. Even though it was comfy, he was unwillingly listening to the requests of various species of dragons. Frankly, all of the talking had just started to sound like _blah blah blah_ to him now. _Blah_ sounded like _baaa_, and it was making the situation a whole lot worse for the Purple Dragon, for now he longed for mutton. All of the _blaaah-ing_ was an ongoing process. One dragon would step in, the dragon would be dismissed, another dragon would take its place.

Spyro chuffed, bored out of his mind. He began to drift into the waves of slumber again, but he quickly jolted up at the earthshattering sound of a newcomer. ''Gah, what? What? I-I wasn't asleep!'' Spyro yelped, scales nearly jumping off of his hide. A low chuckle made him snap his attention to the one who had startled him: a dragoness. She was huge, about the size of Ramses, which made Spyro feel even worse, for he always felt like an ant in Dragon's Peak. The female dragon's leathery scales were a dusty, brown shade, cracked a little like rocks. With digging claws, pointed spines, and a spiked club on her tail, she looked as if she was ready to destroy anything in that came in her way. Spyro was surprised; this dragoness's horns looked as if they could weigh her head down! Her wings, those big, ragged wings, could swaddle a bunch of smaller dragons up! ''You amuse me, Purple Dragon.'' she smiled.

''Hm, I've never seen you around. Tell me, earth dragon, where are you from?'' King Ramses analyzed the female dragon's features, almost in awe. A sudden buzzing under Spyro's wing made him veer away from the conversation. Something was rubbing against it, something fluttering like wild. W-was that fear?

''_Can't...breathe..._'' a little voice wheezed. No, it was only Sparx. The little dragonfly had joined Spyro, hidden underneath his wing since he was just too reckless at times. Sometimes, his speech was barely understandable, since he was just a bug after all. But he was still learning, though, and was getting to be quite the wisecracker. Well, he always had been, just not with intelligible words that the others could understand. The purple dragon slightly shifted his wing a bit, letting Sparx peek his tiny head out. After taking in the air, he chirped. ''_This isn't right, ya know? Lettin' me suffer in your smelly wings...It's animal cruelty._'' Sparx chattered.

Spyro rolled his eyes at the dragonfly's rant, ''You'll get over it.'' He promptly covered the insect, shoving him back into his wing. He straightened himself up, turning back to the petition.

''I am Gravel. I've come in need for a place to stay. You see, it gets quite lonely out in the middle of nowhere.'' The earth dragon announced. She pawed at the stone beneath her, blinking her crimson eyes.

_She's guilt tripping us_, Spyro thought. He decided that he didn't like the dragoness, starting to narrow his eyes at her.

But the king, of course, didn't think that at all. After some more _blaaah-ing_, King Ramses made his choice. ''You may stay with us, young one. You've come such a far way, it would be completely absurd to send you back on your way.''

''Really?'' Gravel asked. King Ramses turned to Spyro expectantly, awaiting the leader's approval. Spyro hesitated for a while. This dragon was evil; he just knew it! He could feel it in his bones, in his scales, in his tail. But, she did seem deceptively friendly. Without a word, Spyro nodded. Uncertainty pulsed through him like a bullet. What'd he just agree to?

Gravel beamed. ''Thank you, thank you!'' she stamped her feet in excitement, causing a few more minuscule quakes.

''Ahem.'' she immediately stopped, halted by another dragon's voice. Spyro could barely make out the small, green legs, leaning his head down to look under Gravel's wing. Gravel furled her large wings, revealing the dragon. Emerald, one of the King's messengers, stood. He wore a silver, bashed helmet, but it looked more like a mask that almost covered his face. ''My apologies for interrupting, but there's been reports of lone Skyships from the guards. Of course, I haven't seen one myself, but I think it's quite believable. Some of my scrolls, **my** scrolls, have been disappearing. That seems like pillaging to me...''

Spyro finally perked up. Pirates? He waggled his tail joyously. **Pirates!**

''It can wait.''

Spyro felt as if he'd just been trampled by a stampede of Cyclops Mammoths. ''W-wha...?''

''We've got a feast to attend.'' Ramses nodded to Gravel.

* * *

Stink Bomb sat on a rock, peacefully meditating. It was a stress reliever. He wasn't the type of person to release rage on others. In fact, he was rather docile. But if someone did somehow anger him, they definitely should know how to stand upwind. And no one, never, ever, ever wanted to smell like garbage. Or like rotting troll flesh that was sunbathing for months. Or worse than Kaos. Let's just put it simply, no one wanted to smell like Stink Bomb. His kind, Swampskunks, were scavengers, and they often got themselves into mischief, tipping over trashcans, ruining gardens, stealing, or just messing things up where ever they went. They were solitary, though, and rarely seen. But when spotted, they are considered really, really bad luck. Unlike them, Stink Bomb only ruined things on accident.

His species was rather uncivilized as well, for Stink Bomb had left the Stinky Swamp, the homeland of the skunks, in hopes of becoming like the Foxes of Woodburrow. He was nomadic, traveling from village to village, learning about life outside of the swamp. On his way, he met Sensei, who found him struggling to fend himself bandits. Sensei promptly rescued him, defeating the bandits, and he soon made Stink Bomb his apprentice. Trap Shadow on the other hand wasn't looking to anger him; frightening him for a good laugh was more like it. He was already in a tree, watching the green skunk intensely. Trap Shadow snickered to himself. He swiftly jumped off of the tree branch, this time seeing if there were any tree branches on the ground before leaping off. He then carefully snuck up behind the skunk, smiling. Trap Shadow opened up his jaws and released a thundering roar. Stink Bomb jumped into the air in surprise. He landed, sprawled out, his tail falling down onto his face. Trap Shadow chortled, grinning with his sharp, pointed fangs.

''Heheh, how's my favorite skunk doing?'' he asked.

''I'm the only skunk you know...'' Stink Bomb replied in a mutter, monotone.

Sometimes, he just felt like spraying his irritating teammate. But that wouldn't be very _docile_, would it? Although, it wasn't like he never did that before, but like always, it was on accident. Or at least that's what the skunk proclaimed, sometimes the scent glands were purposely triggered, and most of the time it was just for giggles. The feline had been keeping this up for weeks. To the cat, it was **his **stress reliever.

''And that's why you're my favorite!'' Trap Shadow laughed, walking over to the skunk, messing with his hair.

''Where's Stea-' Trap Shadow started.

Something abruptly pounced onto him, snarling and growling. A green tiger loomed over him. It's body was slightly ghastly-like. Large claws had pinned Trap Shadow down, burying into his fur.

''Heyyy, Stealthie...er Surprise. Hehe, is this revenge for yesterday? I swear, Camo dragged me into i-'' he began.

''_Youuu betcha_...'' Surprise growled.

''What'd he do this time?'' Stink Bomb asked, still in his awkward position.

''_Where are theeey?!_ _Blades now!_" Surprise snapped at the air.

''Do I have to?'' Trap Shadow asked.

''_Now, now, now!_'' Surprise hissed, its figure slowly turning back into Stealth Elf. It got off of Trap Shadow, still growling.

''Here.'' Trap Shadow hesitated, but tossed the blades to the Stealth Elf, who had now returned to her normal state.

''You thought I wouldn't notice, huh? You were sadly mistaken. You poor, poor little kitten.'' Stealth Elf shook her head, incredulously.

''Hey, I tried.'' Trap Shadow chuffed. ''A-and don't call me kitten! I only played with that yarn once, **once**!''

''Twice.'' Stink Bomb corrected.

''S-shut up!'' Trap Shadow crossed his arms, growling beneath his breath.

''Aw, don't be so hard on yourself, Stink Bomb still sleeps with that blanket his Sensei gave him.''

''I thought we said that was a secret, between two ninja and no one else.''

''It was never a secret.'' Trap Shadow and Stealth Elf both responded in unison.

''That's reassuring, thanks guys, you're all amazing.'' Stink Bomb grunted, getting off of the ground.

Trap Shadow snorted a laugh. Well, at least his scaring mission wasn't totally an epic fail. Ruining Stink Bomb's day was quite entertaining to him so far. His gaze turned back to Stealth Elf. He flared his nostrils, ears straightening up, alerted. ''You smell like seawater.''

The elf stared at him in confusion for a while. ''Oh-oh, right. I found this thing on my little...adventure for my blades, threatening Camo, and etcetera.'' Stealth Elf then produced a small, black cloth out of her one of her boots. ''I was going to save it for later, for whenever Spyro returned from the special secrets of his own. In fact, I found a lot of collectables. We've got some baddies on our hands, that's for sure.'' she added.

Stink Bomb scurried up to her, halting when his snout got close to the cloth. ''Interesting...'' he murmured, running a paw through the fabric. Stink Bomb gradually took it from Stealth Elf, examining its surface intently. But he was quickly interrupted when Trap Shadow grabbed it out of his paws, much to Stink Bomb's dismay.

''Obviously pirates...They're canines...'' Trap Shadow sniffed at it.

''Then they're _obviously_ Seadogs.''

''I was getting to that!''

Stink Bomb found what appeared to be a rather jagged, flimsy card stuck onto the point of Stealth Elf's blade ''What's that?'' he asked. He was always throwing questions at people, it was just another Stink Bomb thing. Swampskunks were naturally curious, it was practically an instinct.

''Just another collectible, why?'' Stealth Elf shrugged.

''So it's not one of Hoot Loop's magic thingies?'' Stink Bomb questioned.

''I found it with all of the other junk.'' Stealth Elf replied.

''Strange...''

Trap Shadow flicked an ear. ''Strange?''

''I've been seeing these cards everywhere since...Remember that caped Seadog we fought, Trap? The one with the cards.''

''That...drunk, streaking Cardmaster lunatic? The one who believed he was a Portal Master?''

Stink Bomb nodded.

''Oh great, the creepy alcoholic followed us.'' Trap Shadow facepalmed, flattening his ears. ''This is just too purrfect.''

''Ha, purrfect.'' Stink Bomb snickered. Clearing his throat, he promptly got back to being serious. Wash Buckler had been gone for at least a day now, which led to multiple questions...and multiple nightmares from Stink Bomb. The Swappers all knew he was out at his favorite village, doing something, but he hadn't returned yesterday. Wash Buckler was a huge, huge part of the SWAP Force, he was like a leader. He **was** the leader. Stink Bomb's fur bristled nervously. He missed being called _dude_. ''We should talk to Hoot Loop...he's magical, maybe he knows about this.''

The cards were said to be enchanted, stated by The Cardmaster, of course. But no one really knew if that was the truth. Who would believe an insane, naked, pirate dog? Stink Bomb surely wouldn't, not even if The Cardmaster offered to stroke his tail. _Oooh, _Stink Bomb fancied. He could really go for a tail stroke right about now...But he had to stay focused. Could this Seadog actually be a threat?

''What? I am I not magical enough for you? I can turn into a living shadow!'' Trap Shadow grunted.

''But you can't explain these enchanted cards, can you?''

Trap Shadow heaved a sigh. ''No.'' he grumbled.


	5. Return

Spyro lazily flapped his wings, rain jolting onto them. Sparx was fluttering under his wing; he couldn't withstand the rain, as his thin, bug wings would be seriously damaged. Spyro narrowed his eyes, preparing for the next gust of wind. It had been a long flight so far, and a long day all together. He still wasn't too sure about Gravel, but nothing besides her brutish appearance seemed evil at all. Her huge tail destroyed things here and there, but it wasn't on purpose...At least Ramses and Flavius thought it was. Emerald seemed uncertain about the dragoness as well. Uncertain was an understatement, though, since he was absolutely terrified whenever Gravel glanced at him. The poor messenger even had to take her on a tour throughout the kingdom, shivering like a scared hatchling. But other than Gravel's red eyes that stared into your soul, Spyro had taken a liking to the feast. In fact, it was his favorite thing about the Royal Petitionary, besides attacking the sheep...just for fun.

He was still tired, though, nothing would change that. Spyro dozed off a teensy bit too, but wind quickly awoke him. The breeze was another problem. Apparently, the Rapid Winds had come a little early, stated by Emerald, for he'd gotten reports from Windham. The Rapid Winds were just another _wonderful _thing about Skylands. They were almighty, atrocious gusts of air; they were told to be able to take down a whole army of Arkeyans. That was seemingly true, since Swarm had been thrown about during one storm. Luckily, Spyro was wearing his red, wing attachments that Sprocket had made for him. They were like reinforcements; but Spyro wasn't sure if they could battle it out with the tempest. He flinched at Sparx's touch, his antennae poking Spyro's belly.

''_You're starting to get fat._'' Sparx commented. Spyro snorted, smoke billowing out his nostrils. He wasn't fat! Well, he had just a lot of mutton, but still! Whatever _fat _Sparx was jabbering about, was only muscle!

''_Aw, c'mon, you're not going to speak? You're not going to speak to your friend?_''

Spyro didn't respond, grimacing. Perhaps his Undead side was showing, since he did indeed know all the elements.

''_Got somethin' on ya mind?_'' Sparx asked, tilting his head.

''No.''

''_You're thinkin' bout dat big dragoness 'gain?_''

Spyro chuffed, ''Yep.'' He was beginning to regret teaching Sparx's words. The dragon winced, a blast of wind pushing against him. He shook his head, droplets of water springing from his scales.

''_Hey, whaz that_?'' Sparx chirped, his antennae twitching. Spyro opened his eyes a bit. The faint outline of a ship was gradually inching towards them. Spyro stopped flying and began to hover. He cocked his head, trying to get a better look at the figure in the distance.

''_D'you think it friendly?_'' Sparx asked with a smile. Frankly, Spyro wasn't sure. M-maybe it was a pirate ship? **Pirates!** Spyro's horns flared, a cocky, little grin appearing across his face. Sparx kept close to Spyro, gazing at him in confusion.

''_I don' like dat look._''

''Well, I have to torch something! Do you see any flying Chompies around here? I don't.''

''_We don't even know dese people._''

Spyro thought for a moment. He did have a point. For all they knew, this ship could have been just some Mabu passing by. But the more Spyro waited, the more the ship became clearer, too. Completely forgetting about Sparx's warning, he lowered his head, horns flaming. The ship was speeding up, much to Sparx's alarm. He nipped at his scales, promptly getting Spyro's attention. Surprisingly, it was painful. The dragonfly held on tight, slightly tugging him down. ''_Spyro!_'' he warbled.

Spyro's mind was boggled in a tornado of thoughts. Should he attack, or should he flee? Sparx was getting really, really antsy, on the edge of blubbering chirps. Was it very smart to charge into a Skyship literally head-on? Before Spyro could choose, a whirlwind knocked him aside, leaving him to spiral down. Sparx was following him, huddled up under his the dragon's wing again. Spyro was now freaking out just as much as Sparx was. The wind was practically controlling him now.

He straightened his legs out, looking as if he was a superhero. Multiple Skylands had appeared before him, as if they were just popping out of no where. Fortunately, he was able to spot The Mainland. The wind was seemingly on his side, leading him in a way, pushing him towards his destination. But that still didn't make up for all the struggle he was still going through. He and Sparx were practically dive-bombing.

Finally, Spyro landed, but it was a terrible landing. He tumbled, rolling across the floor like some sort of Snowroller. For his big finale, Spyro's face slide itself into the dirt. Sparx, however, had been completely unimpaired. ''_Heh, some entrance..._''

Spyro growled, smog swirling out of his nostrils in indignation. He thrust himself up, shaking mud and filth from his body, much to Sparx's dismay. The rain had seemingly stopped, turning into drizzle; but it still weighed the dragonfly's wings down a little. ''It's good to be home.'' Spyro glanced down at the grass, brushing his claws through it. He and his companion flinched, an abrupt bark catching their attention.

''Gruff! Spyro!'' Hot Dog was speeding towards him, yipping. Spyro grinned, although it hadn't looked like much. Surprisingly, for a dragon, the majority of his maw was only gums. He'd gotten into extreme tussles, losing a lot of his teeth in battles. But, his jaws had a real, powerful grip, due to his brachycephalic head structure. Hot Dog had tackled his leader, pinning him down with his fiery paws. His hide was somewhat dull, since the rain had taken a toll on it. He rapidly licked Spyro's face, happily. His saliva sizzled the leader's scales, but dragons had tough skin, so it hadn't done much. He continued to slither his hot tongue across Spyro's face, panting in excitement.

''Okay, alright. Heheh!'' Spyro had snickered a bit. Hot Dog was relentless, though. He just didn't want to stop.

''Sit!'' Spyro ordered. Hot Dog quickly followed the demand, jumping off his leader, and plopping himself down. But he hadn't stayed like that for long. In mere seconds, he wagged his tail and crouched into a play position.

''Where's Gill?'' Spyro asked. He got up and awaited for an answer.

''Gill's finding others! Wanna play?! Ruff!'' Hot Dog bayed.

''Finding others? Hot Dog, um, could you give me a report of-''

''Arf! Follow, follow me!'' Hot Dog suddenly ran off, almost hurriedly.

* * *

''**Dogpile!**''

The SWAP Force leader had finally returned. The Swappers, at least most of them, had been eagerly waiting for his arrival, and so they promptly tackled him upon sight. Waves of laughter had emitted from the cumulus of Skylanders. Night Shift, of course, didn't want to join such idiocy, but he was pulled in by Freeze Blade anyway. Ultimately, he was unwillingly mushed together with the others. Blast Zone, due to being flammable, could only circle around the group. Nevertheless, he was having as much fun as the others. Wash Buckler, though trampled by many, felt at home. Besides, he didn't have any bones, so no harm was being inflicting. Since he was a relative of octopi, he could easily squeeze through the pile. But he hadn't; instead he was just enjoying all the attention. Being leader was great! Something was missing though; something spider-y and spy-like.

''**Two. Days. **Where were you?'' Wash Buckler, surprisingly, could hear Spy Rise from outside of the mound. That couldn't be good. Explaining things to Spy Rise was often difficult, it was as if he was able to tell if you were lying. In fact, he probably could. Maybe he had some sort of lie detector thing? Or a truth or false reader?

''Uh...fighting crime?'' Wash Buckler replied.

''In that...village of yours, correct? Were you boasting...again?'' Spy Rise narrowed his eyes. Wash Buckler felt as if he was always being interrogated when Spy Rise was around. Where were you? Why'd you leave? Why were you gone for so long?

''Boasting? I don't boast.''

''So, bragging about how you slayed a beast isn't boasting?''

''N-no!'' Wash Buckler protested.

Spy Rise blinked, utterly unamused.

''Yes...'' Wash Buckler murmured.

''I rest my case.'' Spy Rise nodded.

''C'mon, Spy, where's the love? Dude, you're missing out! Jump in!'' Wash Buckler quickly changed the topic. Spy Rise thought for a moment. Would he be disobeying orders if he didn't join? Unanimous replies emanated from the others, Night Shift excluded of course.

Spy Rise heaved a sigh, ''F-fine, but only because you're my leader.'' He gradually inched towards his teammates, gently descending on the mass.

From a far, Spyro watched, beaming. He'd had almost the exact same thing done to him yesterday; the various Skylanders all welcoming him home. It certainly was good to be back. He wanted to follow in on the fun, but another part of him didn't. It had just seemed odd and rude to barge in on the SWAP Force's little welcoming party. Spyro lay down, parting his jaws in a yawn. His scales started to itch a bit, and so he began to roll around in the grass, almost like a dog of sorts. It really, really was good to be back. His fun, of course, was interrupting though, for a green dragon had landed. A scroll was in his mouth, and he had seemed quite frantic. He swiveled his head rapidly, legs shivering. ''Emerald?'' Spyro hurriedly got up, a little startled at the sudden messenger's arrival.

''Purpah Drowgon Omph Legen!'' Emerald attempted to bellow through the scroll, although it only sounded like nonsense to Spyro. The green dragon raced towards the Skylander, fluttering his wings to speed up. Finally, he made it to Spyro, his chest rapidly moving in and out.

''Something...wrong?'' Spyro asked.

''Messam frum Kimph Ramsi.'' Emerald responded.

Spyro just stared, ''What?''

''Mmph...'' Out of breath, Emerald clasped the scroll with a claw. He gently removed it from his mouth. ''Message from King Ramses, sir.''

Spyro flicked his tail, awaiting. Emerald grimaced for a while. He then uttered a piteous whimper. ''Oh, what's the use?'' Emerald clenched his teeth together. He threw the scroll onto the ground. ''Our allies, the Sky Barons, were raided last night! Invaded! Full blown attack! Slaughter!'' the scrawny dragon announced. Emerald shuddered, ''It's horrific just thinking about it.''

''Windham?''

''Yes, yes.''

''By who?''

''Apparently, pirates...disguised as magicians.''

''Pirates disguised as magicians?''

''With cards.''

Cards? All of the Swappers had been intently listening to the conversation, though still in a cumulus. That hadn't seemed very odd to them; it was rather familiar actually.

''Well, some were dressed in clown costumes...But that's not the point, of course. The pirates were supposedly led by a menace, presumably called-'' Emerald began.

''The Cardmaster.'' The Swappers finished in unison.

''Exactly,'' Emerald dipped his head in a nod. ''King Ramses said to send a group of your finest Skylanders out immediately.''

''We're fine...st!'' Wash Buckler called out.

''A group that's organized.''

''We're organized!''

''A team of several, different warriors, I suggest.''

''We're several, different warriors!''

''What're you doing? I swear my ears are gonna bleed if you screech any louder.'' Trap Shadow hissed.

''I'm trying to get us a gig.''

''Aw, but I liked vacation...It was fun. I'm not sure if I want to go back to killing things yet.'' Freeze Blade drew his ears back.

''You thought that being set off into a dangerous forest in the hot sun by Gill was fun?'' Stink Bomb asked.

''I thought it was fun.'' Night Shift commented.

''Shhhhush!'' Wash Buckler chided. He winced, trying his best to listen.

''Will one led by a pirate-'' Spyro began.

''Oh, that's even better! We'll fight fire with fire! Do you happen to have a pirate leader, Spyro?'' Emerald waggled his tail. He leaning in close, expectantly, but it was just odd and awkward to Spyro. ''Hmmm?''

''Um...'' Spyro darted his eyes to the Swappers. ''Yeah.''

Emerald immediately whirled around, eyes locking onto the team. Now, instead of being jumbled together, they were standing in a horizontal line. ''Organized!'' Emerald smiled. He sighed wistfully at the word, ''Organized just like my scrolls...'' He turned back towards the group, starting to analyze the Swappers, glazing his eyes over everyone.

''Emerald, meet the SWAP Force.'' Spyro said.

''Oooh, oh, right! I've read about the Cloudbreak Protectors!'' Emerald replied. He was pretty thrilled, not being able to stop his own grin. ''Pleasure to meet your acquaintance. I must say, you all look quite splendiferous.'' he bowed.

''I've got no idea of what splendi...ifer...'' Wash Buckler's voice drifted away into a drawl. ''But I'm going to take it as a compliment!''

Emerald chortled, ''You're comical as well!'' He then shook his head wildly, as if in attempt to clear something from his mind. ''I-I mean, ahem, are you ready to go on a trek, battle enemies, and defeat this traveling menace they call...The Cardmaster?''

''Yep!'' Wash Buckler didn't have to be told twice. But the others were still undecided. ''Dudes...'' Wash Buckler whispered. ''Dudes...'' he repeated, a little louder. Everyone, except Night Shift, nodded.

Emerald turned to Spyro. ''It's settled?'' the messenger asked.

''Settled.''


	6. Confrontation and Conflict

_Darkness_. It had seemingly surrounded Whirlwind, frigid air bristling her feathers and fur. She was in a dream, she knew that much. But her dreams weren't usually like this; they were never like this. They were all cheery, sunny, and just plain nice. This, this however was like an Undead Skylander's dream. Had she accidently drifted into Cynder's dream? Was that even possible? Unicorns were capable of many things, but she hadn't recalled seeing or hearing about them invade thoughts, and she surely never did it before.

She blinked her eyes; but nothing had been cleared. ''H-hello?'' she asked, her voice faltering a bit. The only response she'd gotten was her own echo. When she padded, it felt as if she was treading on air. But there had been this ominous feeling about this air. She didn't like it, she didn't like it at all. She winced and poised her horn, hoping that it could serve as a flashlight of sorts. But the light she'd been hoping for had simply fell flat, only a spark prevailing. She frowned in dismay, drooping her ears. _Well_, she thought, _I guess I better go explore. _Whirlwind pushed onwards, but she couldn't help but feel the uncertainty that rattled her bones. Suddenly, a blue flash had sparkled in the distance, making her promptly perk her ears up. The glow glistened in Whirlwind's widened eyes, even though it was so far. Multiple more had appeared, flickering on and off. Intrigued, she lifted a claw, trying to decide if she should investigate. But she didn't have anytime to choose. Something had seized her body. There was a frightening pause, and Whirlwind tensed up. She then found herself being pulled towards the lights. Whirlwind tried to stop the force, using her claws in hopes of skidding to a halt. But her attempt had failed. Instead, she ended up ramming herself into something rock hard, the force had practically thrown her. Whirlwind, dazed, wobbled around a bit before snapping out of her trance. With a yelp, she jumped back, eyes locked onto what she'd hit: a draconic, silver leg. The shadowy, dragon figure was huge! Luckily, it didn't appear to be alive, more like a statue of sorts.

Darkened shapes of dragons were appearing all around her, next to her, behind her, in front of her. The majority of them were new faces, all smiling, lifting their heads to gaze upon the stone dragon. Whirlwind still couldn't see a thing, but when she tried hard enough, she could spot one familiar face. Flashwing was staring back at her. She must've been just as bemused as Whirlwind was. ''Flash-'' Whirlwind began. She stopped, for something had a very tight grip on her neck. But whatever it was, it was invisible. It jerked her attention back to the statue, roughly. Whirlwind darted her eyes around, looking for the mysterious source.

But she only found more and more dragons, small and large. Their scales were dim, their dank hides matching up with the shadowy surroundings. Whirlwind rubbed her sore neck, but instead of finding fur, she found a metal collar, chains hooked to it like a leash. With the vicious tug of the chain, she stumbled back a bit. She turned around, discovering that a dragon had its jaws firmly clenched down on the chains. Whirlwind couldn't tell the gender at the time, her eyes were still not used to the darkness. The dragon tugged again, and began to circle around Whirlwind. The other dragons stepped back. But it wasn't fear that was on their faces; happiness had still shown through. Whirlwind definitely wasn't happy though. She swiped the air in warning a few times, but her capturer hadn't been fazed. Whirlwind was going to be dragged again. She stood her ground, though, putting up quite the fight. The hybrid and the dragon were practically playing Tug of War now. Unfortunately, other dragons had joined in, pushing her with all their might. Whirlwind had tried to turn around a swipe a few, but she was already losing this match.

The dragon had stopped. It finally let go, opened his maw, letting the chain fall. Whirlwind was met with the statue again, a few step away from it. Flashwing had appeared to have the same process done to her, a collar around her neck as well. Whirlwind growled at the dragon that had pulled her, but it just carried a blank expression, nothing like the happy crowd. It hurriedly stalked away, slipping back into swarm of his companions. ''Yeah, you better run.'' Whirlwind growled. A crackle from the statue made her immediately veer away from the dragon. Everyone's attention was on it. Frankly, Whirlwind could only see its legs, black atmosphere hiding the rest of the body. A blue flash sparkled once more, before the statue crackled again. At that moment, it burst into blazing, azure flames, uttering a horrid screech.

Whirlwind awoke.

What? What was that? What was that?! Now, she was outside, in the middle of the night, shivering. She didn't know how she got out there, and she didn't have much time to think, for a pulse of unease stung her body. Something was happening. Drool slid out of her mouth, but she hadn't really noticed, too startled at the strange feeling. The faint taste of blood had tainted her tongue. Froth had rose in her throat, choking her slightly. She froze. In mere moments, bubbling, reddened foam brought itself forward, it pouring from her mouth. She rolled over, spuming, and began to convulse.

* * *

Joyous laughter brewed from the sides of The Esper. The pirates had their first victory in what seemed like ages. Only glee had shown through; they were all boozing, joking about, wrestling, just all-around having a good time. They were all seated around a rectangular, wooden table, like as if they were celebrating some kind of feast. Surprisingly, even The Cardmaster was pleased. And when the captain was in a good mood, all the pirates were in a good mood. The possibility of being killed was thin this day. They were having their bellies filled with actual food for the first time in months. With the Sky Barons' help, of course. _Borrowing_ Windham's supplies was the righthand's idea, so The Cardmaster had been exceptionally polite to Patches. He'd even given the deputy more meat than others, but, nonetheless it was still scraps compared to The Cardmaster's meal. Patches hadn't really cared though, if he complained to his captain, all of the fun would surely be ruined.

The she-beards, Poochie and her sisters, had joined along in the festivities too. At the time, Candy and Poochie were busy stuffing their faces with peanut butter, one of the many prizes they had brought back from Windham. They were fighting over it, just in a pitiful puppy-like way. Candy was a butterscotch shade, her fur being quite cream, some strands of fur even a little golden. Cookie, the oldest by a few seconds, was intrigued with her new, stolen phone. Phone? Yes, phone. Sometimes, Earth's items just popped up from time to time, a lot of it being technology. Most people used cameras to interview Skylanders, while Cookie just messed around on it. She didn't even know how to use it. But it kept her entertained, and that was all that mattered. Her name was supposed to be taken literally; Cookie's coat was really identical to dark, fudge cookie, just without all the special chips and stuff.

''And then I said...Cats!'' Patches received a large amount of chuckles from the crew, much to his delight.

''Chats!'' Poochie guffawed, before grabbing the container of peanut butter away from Candy.

The Cardmaster snickered, slapping Patches on his back. Although friendly, it had been actually rather painful. ''You're not so bad.''

Patches wasn't sure if that was even a compliment. But he smiled anyway, a little awkwardly. He never wanted this day to end! Wait...Something had just dawned on

him, something important. ''Cap'n...''

The Cardmaster snapped his attention to Patches, sending some fear throughout him._ That stare_, Patches winced a little.

''Whassup?''

Whassup? Patches blinked at the response. The Cardmaster was obviously drunk...Already.

'' 'Ey, um, Cap'n, if you're down here...then who's steering the ship?''

The Esper didn't have any navigators, so The Cardmaster was supposed to be the one actually doing all the...navigating. The Cardmaster's magic could indeed steer, but he needed to reinforce it, otherwise they'd just be drifting into uncharted territories. And had been drifting for hours...

''Whut?''

''Who's steering the ship?''

A silence threw itself forth, all of the Seadogs on board immediately shutting their mouths. Well, everyone besides Candy and Poochie, since the two were growling over the peanut butter again.

''**ATTACK****!**'' A dragon's roar was audibly from outside The Esper.

The ship jolted to and fro, the sound of claws beating against it. Luckily, they hadn't been getting far, for The Cardmaster's magic had protected it. But how long would it protect it? No one had the slightest idea. The Cardmaster promptly clambered onto the table, snarling like wild. So much for _nice_ Cards. ''Cursed fools!'' The Cardmaster was back to his enraged and deranged self. He grabbed a butter knife and threatened the nearest Seadog, looking as if he was poised to throw it right into his skull. ''This all your fault!'' he did indeed end up throwing it, but his aim was off. That was one of the good things about drunk Cardmaster; his attacks always failed.

''Cap'n...'' Patches murmured.

The Cardmaster snapped his jaws, ''**Leave.** **NOW.**''

No one needed to be told twice.

* * *

Gravel slept in the middle of The Coliseum. It was the main area of Dragon's Peak, where the Dragon's Throne resided. The throne was being carefully guarded by a few armored dragons. They scanned the sky like hawks, narrowing their eyes at the battle from a far. Frankly, Gravel couldn't stand it. She'd chosen the wrong time to sleep, apparently. She heaved a sigh, opening her eyes in slits. What were they doing up there? The dragons were practically throwing themselves against a ship. The dragoness just shook her head in disbelief. It had all seemed stupid to her; they were wasting their time. That craft was obviously indestructible. Why did they keep flying at it like idiots over and over again? Gravel buried her snout into her claws, snorting in contempt. Luckily, she was next to her favorite thing about The Coliseum, which perked her up a little. This _thing_ was a statue, shrieking at the sky in defeat: Vathek. She smiled, flicking her tail from side to side. _Soon_, she thought. Gravel flickered out her forked tongue, and then drifting back into sleep once more.

''Skylanders!''

Gravel hurriedly jolted up at Emerald's excited cry She completely tossed the idea of sleeping away. The earth dragoness stalked over to the edge, gazing below. They were coming. She smirked, swishing her tail from side to side excitedly.

* * *

It hadn't been The SWAP Force's lucky day. They had expected to visit Dragon's Peak, defeat a few baddies, and prepare for _the greatest adventure of their lives_. Instead, they were being chased by a earth dragon. Not to mention that this particular earth dragon was **female**. All of that manly-man talk of slaying krakens, scaring away vicious monsters, and destroying entire armies of Gnorcs, had all disintegrated. Fortunately, they were already in a ship.

Earlier, they had found an odd group of pirates separated from The Cardmaster's crew: a feline-like Mabu, a Gillman, a Squidface, and a small Seadog. They said that they had been hidden in Dragon's Peak for days, plotting to steal some treasure to keep as their own. Those daft pirates! They nearly explained everything about The Cardmaster and The Esper itself! But it wasn't a bad thing, not the Swappers at least. Now, they knew more about what they were up against. But there was a slight drawback...Wash Buckler was getting way too carried away with steering the creaky, shabby ship. Spy Rise wasn't even sure if he what he was doing, so he and Wash Buckler were now fighting over it.

''Dude, stop turning it!''

''You stop turning it!''

''They're never going to stop, are they?'' Rattle Shake flickered his tongue out in distaste.

''Nope.'' the others responded.

Blast Zone and Boom Jet were circling around the ship, serving as aerial protection. Unlike The Cardmaster, the Swappers didn't have any magic forcefields around their ship, and their flying pursuer was still on their tail. So, Blast Zone and Boom Jet volunteered to keep watch. The other Swappers, well, excluding Stink Bomb, hadn't been worried about their tracker anymore. In fact, dragoness was seemingly shrinking, for she finally slowing down. The Rocket Swappers stopped revolving.

''Well, that could've gone worse.'' Boom Jet smiled. He turned to Blast Zone, as if he was awaiting for a response.

''I don't think this is over.'' Blast Zone stared off into the distance with indecision.

''Heh, what makes you think th-''

Various, alarming howls interrupted the skysurfer. In a flash, a rather large ship had appeared next to the Swappers's sad little one, it violently bumping into theirs. The Swappers onboard staggered at the sudden push, some even nearly falling down.

Oh...so that's what you were worried about...'' Boom Jet murmured. Multiple Seadogs grinned down upon them, snickering.

''Move, move! Get outta my way!'' a familiar, cloaked Seadog pushed some others aside, angrily. That was none other than The Cardmaster; a very, very menacing Cardmaster. He curled his lip, revealing his fangs, ''Skylanders...ohhoho, this is fortuitous...''

''Why is everyone talking like that now?!'' Wash Buckler exclaimed.

''I've got no idea.'' Freeze Blade shrugged.

''Oh well...Positions!'' Wash Buckler then pointed his cutlass, as if it was some sort of signal. The Swappers got into their infamous battle poses, all saying their catchphrases in unison.

The Cardmaster hadn't really been fazed. With a snicker, he beamed. ''Board 'em.''

And with that one command, the Seadogs all started to swarm like bugs, leaping off of the edge and onto the Skylanders' ship. The Cardmaster watched as battle outbroke, and he laughed manically from The Esper, tongue lolling out in excitement.

It was difficult to fight in such on such a compact battlefield. Even though there was a small amount of the Seadogs, it was like there was an entire clan of them. But they were rather klutzy, so most of them defeated themselves with their own accidents. But the Swappers were doing the same, thanks to the ship's troubling size. No one was really getting anywhere. In the midst of battle, Wash Buckler had tried to steer the Swappers away from The Esper, but one Seadog-Patches-just wouldn't let him.

''Foolish Mermasquid!''

''Mutt!''

''Invertebrate dunce!''

''Yo mama!''

So, the fight over the wheel began again, much to everyone's dismay.

* * *

A Sky Baron stood beyond the entrance of the Windham, squinting his eyes. Dark, wispy clouds had dawdled over the him, casting a gloomy appearance across the territory. He scrunched his face up, a strong gust of wind nearly bowling him over, it toying with his feathers. He was mottled, various grays and slight whites upon his body. The feathers around his face were tipped in black, like all Sky Barons. Unlike the males, female Sky Baron feathers weren't as bright, but they too had blackened points. This Sky Baron was called General, but his full title was Sky General Aquila. His soldiers had been guarding Windham, aligned single file in two different lines. Their weapons were crossbows, talons firmly wrapped around them, General sporting one as well.

''Keep your eyes peeled, friends, anythin' could happen.'' General commanded.

''Yes, sir!'' the soldier crowed in unison.

General nodded in approval, ''That's what I like to hear.'' He then tensed up, feathers on ends. The faint outline of a flying vessel was getting trailing towards them. Vivid orbs were placed amongst the front of it, serving as headlights. General had to cover his face a bit, the Skyship's glow almost blinding.

''Intruders!'' a soldier shrieked. They immediately raised their weapons, already prepared. General cringed, still trying to make out the image. As it drew closer, with the help of the lights, General was able to see the driver: a male fox. His fur was dappled, similar to General in a way. He was rather slender, almost shaped more like a weasel than anything. The intruder's clothing was normal, nothing like the scrappy garbs of the Seadogs. All-around, he didn't seem unfriendly at all.

''Don't attack! Not yet!'' General ordered. Hesitantly, the Sky Barons loosened their grips on their weapons, pulling them down. General tilted his head, intrigued by the ship that had just landed. It wasn't too big, but it wasn't too small either. Multiple propellers had been attached to the vessel, all of them looking as if they belonged on different airships. Duct tape had secured the circular headlights on, a few punctures on ship being presumably patched up by the same material. But what really had caught his attention was all the boxes, barrels, and bags. There had been a countless amount; it had looked as if this fox was some sort of hoarder.

''Hallo!'' the fox waved. He scratched at his ear, and licked his chops.

''Hello...?'' General responded.

''I have heard about the bad news. Very, very unfortunate. Tsk tsk...'' the fox drooped his ears, however, he quickly perked back up again. ''Luckily for you, I've come with all of the supplies your little place needs!'' He then patted a crate and smiled, ''Magic!''


	7. Boarding Buddies

_Continuing this...so-called awesomeness. Thanks readers! _

ATTENTION:

_**PoochxStink skunk n' poodle bonding time**...so...That back button's available. Click it, it's waiting. It wants your love, Reader. Otherwise, let the conversations between **Canon-mustild and OC-canid** begin! It's not too much though._

* * *

The Swappers had eventually did a little boarding of their own; Wash Buckler created the brilliant plan of fighting them in their own Skyship. While everyone else was battling baddies, Stink Bomb, of course, had been urged into going down the darkest, creepiest hallway on The Esper. The Esper was more like a mansion than a ship. A creaky, mysterious mansion, that is. There had been a lot of stairs, all leading to various hallways and new things. It was practically like a maze. It was rather confusing; perhaps The Cardmaster had constructed it that way. He wasn't quite sure why he was chosen; there had been other Swappers more put out for a job like that. According to Trap Shadow, apparently not, for he was the one who suggested the idea anyway, Freeze Blade in on it as well. Stink Bomb hadn't missed the little smiles on their faces, it was as if they weren't even trying to hide them. ''Always making me do stuff...'' Stink Bomb muttered. A solemn gust of wind ruffled his fur, it uttering an eerie, whistling swoosh as it passed. The skunk had tightened up a bit. ''That was...odd...'' he continued to speak his mind. He hadn't thought much of it though, for there had been some holes in the ship's interior.

He shuffled his feet, gradually moving forth. Stink Bomb had been given a mission: search for potential hostages. Stink Bomb was doubtful. With all the battle cries and bustling on the deck and in other areas, wouldn't someone screech out by now? Maybe The Cardmaster didn't take prisoners. Maybe The Cardmaster...had slayed them already. Speaking of which, The Cardmaster had been seemingly hiding himself, using all of his crewmates as living shields before he stepped in. He couldn't have started to cower already, could he? Stink Bomb decided not to dawdle on The Cardmaster, narrowing his eyes at the endless hallway in front of him. There hadn't been any doors, or lights, or windows, or captives, nor any Seadogs. But there had been this scent that had been bugging Stink Bomb for a while, and it certainly wasn't him. An aroma was teasing his snout, swirling around the air like it owned the place. Stink Bomb had minuscule nostrils and frankly wasn't the best tracker around. But he definitely could smell that annoying yet wondrous scent. Perfume, one of the other things that went on his weakness list. Even though he could see in the dark, Stink Bomb decided to use the fragrance as a guide.

He wasn't exactly sure where it was coming from, or what danger it would lead to. One thing was for sure though, there were she-beards on this ship. There just had to be! Maybe the weren't evil; Stink Bomb had never even heard of a villain leaving traces of pink perfume! It wouldn't be so farfetched though, since Stink Bomb was starting to believe that anything could happen in Skylands. With a sniff, he continued his journey into the shadows of the empty corridor.

* * *

Poochie had nearly jumped for joy. The Skylanders were actually attacking The Esper! The Skylanders! Everyone else was terrified or bewildered or enraged, but Poochie was grinning from ear to ear. Unfortunately, she and her sisters were locked inside their room, like usual. While Cookie and Candy were playfighting like no tomorrow, Poochie was staring at herself in her big, fancy mirror. Their room was a lot nicer than any other room on The Esper, at least the Trio believed that. The majority of items were all pink or shades of pink. It had been modeled after a child's bedroom, in fact, The Cardmaster had stolen everything from a female Mabu kid. As the Seapoodle gazed deeply at her reflection, she smiled at her garb, delivering a curtsy. She wore a tawny shirt, her sleeves just as puffy as her ears. Her shorts were simply stitched from other patched together by other fabrics. Despite her average appearance, the teeth from fallen opponents were stabbed through her belt, bleached to be pearly white. She pushed back a curl of bouncy fur, before bounding back over to her enemy: the door. Poochie could pick a lock, but not a magical lock. She gnashed her pointed teeth, ''Porte stupide!''

She placed her head against the door, straining her ears. Poochie promptly flinched upon hearing the slightest, faintest stumble of feet. She crouched down to stick her nose at the bottom of the door, taking a few whiffs. That wasn't the scent of any of her crewmates...A Skylander was outside! She had to strangle the yip of excitement rose in her throat. Poochie had almost tinkled out of pure excitement, the inner puppy trying to show itself. ''Stay calm...'' Poochie murmured. But if she didn't make any noises, how would the Skylander find her? The thought had alarmed her. How could she lure a Skylander? That had to be difficult, right? Most of them were rather crafty, according to The Cardmaster's stories. They were dangerous, that was a fact, but nothing would stop her willing to see them, maybe even befriend one...And maybe become more than just a friend. She snapped her fingers.

An idea had popped into her head.

* * *

''Follow me! Cap'n doesn't appreciate slackas!''

Patches had been leading a group of Seadogs, stalking around in search of Skylanders. The Cardmaster had given them direct orders: bring them back alive. They weren't having much luck, though. Somehow, someway, their team was shrinking. It was as if they were just disappearing within thin air. It hadn't bothered Patches had all, just as long as he wasn't going to have the same fate, he was fine. But he did feel like someone was watching him...It had made him feel rather uncomfortable. Their only weapons were small, blunt daggers, which had been quite unfortunate. They had already learned that the Skylanders weren't playing very fair, lasers and long-range shooting thingies weren't exactly what Patches had expected. He gazed around the area, flexing his fingers to get a good grasp on his weapon. They were in the Dining Room, the place where all the fun and games had been earlier in the morning.

He sighed, flattening his ears back in dismay. Patches aimlessly stared at the table. But, he didn't realize of what was happening behind him. Strings of webbing had spiraled around Seadogs, lifting them up into the air, and hanging them onto the ceiling like lanterns. They had looked a bit like plasma cocoons, squirming and fidgeting. Others were tackled by what appeared to be a living shadow, having to time to speak before having a swipe of a claw knock them out.

And now Patches was the last one.

He whirled around with a growl. ''Are ya even here? The Cardmaster-'' the Seadog began. The rest of his words had faltered. He gazed down, finding only two Seadogs. ''Oh, get up you lazy bums! The Cardmaster will have all of our heads!'' Patches promptly kicked one; but his damage hadn't awoken the Seadog. His teammates couldn't be dead, could they? Skylanders weren't known to kill, well, besides The Cardmaster's mother, that is. Patches continued to stare, not sure of what he should do next. They were knocked unconscious, that was a fact. Muffled shrieking had made him snap his attention up, finding a few more of his teammates struggling to break free from webs. Patches blinked, his fur prickling in worry. He couldn't freak out now; The Cardmaster was really a mysterious being, he might have been watching him. If he disobeyed, he would be inured...mortally. There were a bunch of possibilities, all making him shiver. He had two choices: kill or be killed. ''Show...show yourself! You don't know who you're messin' with!'' Patches barked, raising his dagger.

''I think we both do...'' A whisper had made the Seadog, swivel his head, desperately searching for the source. Thankfully, that wasn't The Cardmaster. Unfortunately, it was a Skylander.

''Fight me! Stop bein' a coward!''

''Maybe later, you don't seem as fun as the others were. You look kind of...meek.'' Patches snarled at the Skylander's statement. Meek! He wasn't meek! The Seadog narrowed his eyes, sniffing the air in hopes of locating his opponent.

W-was that laughter? The Skylander was laughing at him! ''You're most definitely meek.''

''Trap, could you stop irritating the dog and grab him, please?''

''Oh, pssh, fine. You're no fun.''

In a seconds, Patches found himself being pummeled by a claw, it pinning him down with extreme pressure. He had already dropped his dagger, fearfully. The Skylander had been here the entire time! How was the even possible!

''Heheh...you're so happy to see me! Patchy, right? I'm going to call you Patchy.'' Trap Shadow purposely grinned to show his large teeth. ''Patchy, if you're careful, I won't hurt you that much. I can smell your fear...''

Spy Rise dropped down from the ceiling after making his final touches to the cocoons, making sure there was a least a small opening for the Seadogs to get some air. ''Well, that wasn't very challenging at all. I do wish they had put up more of a fight.''

''Eh, there's always more where that came from.'' Trap Shadow then turned his attention back to Patches. ''Speaking of which...what're going to do with this guy?'' Guy? Patches wrinkled his snout at the word. He had a better title than just guy. He was Patches the First Mate, not Guy!

''Interrogation.''

''Aggh...Why don't we just finish him?''

Spy Rise ignored him. He then looked at Patches, smiling. ''We're not going to hurt you.''

Trap Shadow snorted, ''I just might.''

Spy Rise darted his eyes towards his partner for a split second, soon going back to Patches.

''I'm not tellin' you anything, spider! I'm not tellin' anything to your kitty friend either!'' The Seadog shouted.

Trap Shadow hissed, whacking the pirate across his face, instantly silencing him after a yelp.

''Stop frightening our new...guest, Trap Shadow. We're here for answers, not bloodshed.''

Trap Shadow muttered something beneath his breath, drawing his ears back. Patches chuffed at Spy Rise, ''What d'you want?''

''That's exactly what I was going to ask you. What are you and your crewmates searching for?''

''Mind your own damn b-'' He received another wallop from Trap Shadow, two actually. Patches scowled, biting his lip in indignation. In return, he gave a death stare to Trap Shadow.

''Would you stop that?!'' Spy Rise exclaimed.

''Hey, it's not bloodshed!''

''You were supposed to be polite. Haven't you watched any detective shows? Mystery shows?''

''Everyday is a mystery around here.'' Trap Shadow shrugged. Spy Rise just sighed, before turned back to Patches. The Seadog was just staring at the dagger, fur bristling. He had to get it. He needed to get it. Unfortunately, his dagger had been demolished, Spy Rise feeling the need to snipe it.

''What was that for, you...you numbskull!'' Patches snapped. Spy Rise hadn't responded though, still keeping his calm expression. ''I don't like you,'' Patches furrowed his brows.

''He gets that a lot.'' Trap Shadow snickered. ''Now shut up, pirate.'' Patches only licked his fangs, keeping quiet for the moment.

Spy Rise cleared his throat, ''I guess that's all settled then...Let's try this again, shall we? Who are you?''

''Patches.''

''You must be a trusted member of The Esper, I suppose. Otherwise, you were just leading a group without The Cardmaster's orders.''

''First Mate.''

''Ah, a deputy, just like me.''

Trap Shadow blinked, ''I thought Blast Zone was the dep-''

''Patches, could you possibly explain why The Cardmaster hates us so much?''

''Why should I? Ask him yourself.''

''See? Even the dirty mutt agrees.'' Trap Shadow nodded. Abruptly, Patches had bitten Trap Shadow, making the cat promptly recoil, leaping off. Seadogs practically known were sharp. They were like furry, doggish sharks, and they acted like it too.

Patches jumped to his feet, hurriedly sprinting off on fours as Spy Rise began to fire at him. He howled, in attempt to alert any pirate passersbys. He smirked, glancing back at the two Skylanders in the distance. They weren't going to get him; not today or any other day. He wasn't ever going to be pushed around by a Sky-

With the quick punch of a boxing glove, he was down for the count. Quite literally...

* * *

Stink Bomb had been staring intently at a cookie for what had seemed like hours. It was just in the middle of the hallway, getting him rather off-task. Was it poisonous? Was one of The Cardmaster's illusions? Spy Rise had always said not to trust strangers, but the cookie definitely wasn't a stranger, it was the thought of running into the stranger that had displayed it there that had worried Stink Bomb. Someone probably put it there, serving as some sort of trap. Stink Bomb certainly wasn't going to fall for it...Not for the moment at least. He frequently moved a foot out, but never took any steps, going back to gaze at it some more.

This had to be a trick, something left as a surprise gift by The Cardmaster. It stood in Stink Bomb's way, as if it deliberately wanted to be eaten. Stink Bomb veered his head away from it. There was still no sign of any prisoners, or hostages, or pretty, little damsels in distress. He couldn't even find his way out of the dreaded place. He couldn't even find his own scent! He was sure that the rest of his friends were doing fine, since he kept hearing the continuous yelping of Seadogs from afar. Unlike Stink Bomb, they sounded like they were having fun. He reluctantly looked towards the cookie again. It casted a chocolaty aroma. The Swappers, unfortunately, had went to battle with empty bellies today, Emerald seemingly bursting out of nowhere to tell them about an _emergency_. The dragons had everything under control, though.

The other Swappers had everything under control...

Stink Bomb continued to stare. There was really only one way to find out if this was truly a danger. Stink Bomb cautiously tipped-toed over to it, as if he'd been searching for spotlights. Trap Shadow had taught him at thing or two about capturing so-called prey, and they wouldn't go to waste. Stink Bomb crouched on all fours, getting into a hunting pose. He promptly pounced. Sadly, his paws hadn't caught the cookie, instead they had captured nothing but the air around him. He blinked. Where was it? Stink Bomb gazed around, sniffing. Where was it?! He searched frantically. He had been closer to the flowery smell than ever before, but his main focus now had been on the cookie. Stink Bomb swiveled his head, soon jolting back at the sight of a door. How could he have missed that? He rose onto his legs, putting a paw onto the door's surface.

A sudden giggling had made him tense up even more. That was the she-beard he'd been looking for. Stink Bomb tilted his head.

''Bonjour!'' The skunk had stumbled back even more at the bark, taking him by complete surprise. ''Bonjour, Skylander!''

Stink Bomb had to recover, bewildered. ''Hello...'' he hesitated.

''Who are you? I mean, I know you're a Skylander, but who are you? You do have a name, right? I bet its a wonderful name. Do you have a name?''

''I think the real question is who are _you_?''

''I asked first, Skylander!''

''I can't say; it's a Skylander thing...'' Stink Bomb scratched his head. Should he even been talking to this...door? For all he knew, that voice could belong to a spy.

''Then can I call you Fluffkins? Or Muffin? Or Munchkin?''

A spy? She was asking all these questions, but she seemed completely harmless with those silly names. Fluffkins and Muffin were the last things had wanted to be called. He was already called Stinky, in fact, he had a bunch of other nicknames. ''On second thought, you can call me Stink Bomb.''

''Haha, why do they call you that?''

''...I'm a skunk.'' Surprisingly, she hadn't run off screaming, as Stink Bomb had expected. Instead, she started another giggle-fit, not in a jeering way though. Stink Bomb rose a brow. Was he missing something here?

''Gazeuse, hein?'' the voice asked.

''Gesundheit...?'' Stink Bomb had been boggled by the words; but that had only led to more snickers. Even though he didn't even know who he was talking to, Stink Bomb smiled. That little tinkly laugh was just too much.

''I must say, you're very skunky. Do you like to...toot your own horn?'' the voice continued to crack herself up. She eventually stopped, slowly panted. ''I am Poochie...''

''Poochie?''

''Poochie.''

''That's a weird name...You are a Seadog, right? Not a hostage?''

''Seapoodle! It's a rare breed. But I dunno what that means...The Cardmaster says I'm pureb-Hostage? Wha? No...at least I don't think so.''

''There are no hostages in this ship?'' Stink Bomb inquired in disbelief. That hadn't sounded right; pirates usually kept prisoners. ''No helpless people that need saving?''

''I'm just as clueless as you...'' This Seapoodle clearly had no idea. Stink Bomb drooped his tail. He'd been walking around, every nook and cranny, for absolutely no reason?! ''You're still out there, right? Stink Bomb?''

Stink Bomb was rather undecided. Should he stay? Or should he leave and help the others, where ever they were? He didn't want to go through the struggle of going around in circles again. Poochie had deemed to be friendly. She must've been the nicest Seadog on The Esper, or she was just trying to use Stink Bomb for answers.

''Skylander...'' Poochie cooed. A fluffy paw had slid out from the bottom of the door, grasping a cookie, much to Stink Bomb's delight. He immediately grabbed it, stuffing it into his mouth without question. Poochie asked, ''You like?''

''I like! Got anymore?'' Stink Bomb licked his paws.

''Lots!''

''Bring it!''

And with that comment, another cookie slide out from the vent. ''Eeee!'' Stink Bomb squeaked, his animalistic side getting to the best of him. The thought of Poochie being dangerous had thinned to nothing, overcome by the blossoming friendship...And cookies. ''Mmpm...'' Stink Bomb murmured, savoring the taste.

''You're funny...I like you.''

''You're not so bad yourself.''

After a long pause, Poochie asked, ''What's it like out there?''

Stink Bomb licked his paws, cleaning some crumbs from his fur. What had she meant? ''On the other side of the door?''

''What's it like being a Skylander? Where do you live? Do you have any siblings? Brother or sister? Do you have a pet? D-do you have an amour? Do you like me? Do you...despise me? Do you like me? I like you. Do you Skylanders ever smooch? Do you like me? What's your backstory? Do you wuv anyone? Who wuvs you? You wuv me, right? Don't you? What sign are you? Are you small? Tall? Do you like me? I like your scent. It smells funny. Do you like my scent? Everyone does! I think you're awesome. Do you think I'm awesome? Can I be your amour?!'' Stink Bomb jolted at all the fast questions that had been thrown at him.

Frankly, he didn't understand any of it. What did _wuv_ even mean? ''Umm...could you run through that again?''

* * *

''One...two...three...''

Magna Charge had been occupied with counting the various crates that he and the others had found. His eyes darted over to the mass destruction the rest of his friends were doing. Freeze Blade was busy mocking the Seadogs, the ones that were hiding desperately, that is. Besides the few pirates that actually showed their faces, the Swappers were just messing around. The Cardmaster's vicious crew had practically surrendered already. The Cardmaster had seemed to be missing.

''What're we supposed to do with these, Magna? I think its treasure.'' Free Ranger was trying to lift some crates, inching towards the Ultron. Magna Charge's concentration had been broken, but he hadn't shown it. He just levitated boxes out of the Storm Chicken's talons, much to the avian's relief. Free Ranger heaved a sigh, ''Thanks.''

''No problem.'' Magna Chage gently placed the boxes down. He gazed back up.

''Lookit this! Weapons!'' Fire Kraken shouted, promptly making Grilla Drilla bound over on his knuckles. The Skylanders had been taking anything that had belong to Windham, demolishing all the other things. Fire Kraken searched around in the chest he had found until whirling around with a mace in his grasp, laughing wildly with his tail coiled around his sparkler staff.

''Kraken, we're on a mission.'' Magna Charge scolded. Fire Kraken slammed the mace into the ground. He then pouted, gaining another look from Magna Charge.

''B-but Freeze Blade gets to have fun!'' Fire Kraken pointed to the ice cat, who had been making silly, teasing faces at a group of Seadogs they had tied up, including Patches.

''Go and boil your head!'' Patches snarled, wriggling around. Freeze Blade had only laughed, continuing to annoy the Seadogs, prodding them. It did indeed look fun, but Magna Charge was surprised the cat's finger hadn't been bitten off already. Earlier, Patches had simply ran right to them, and Night Shift took the opportunity to clock him.

Quite accidently, the Swappers had caused a little mischief along the way, destroying some parts of the ship just by trying to by fraying. They hadn't gotten any reports back from Stink Bomb, nor have they seen him return with any civilians. But they did hear faint laughter, no one sure of where it had come from. They did know that Patches had to have escaped from Spy Rise and Trap Shadow, since Wash Buckler had sent them to look out for any threats. Wash Buckler and Patches had destroyed the Swappers's new ship. Surprisingly, once onboard The Esper, they had found the Sky Barons' lost supplies. It was like The Cardmaster hadn't even tried to conceal them. This whole day had been filled with surprises; Magna Charge had a whole lot of time just to comprehend it.

''Why does The Cardmaster have all these weapons if he even let his crewmates use them? He doesn't even use them himself.'' Wash Buckler was rummaging through the chest of weapons.

'' 'Ey, quit that!'' Patches barked, but everyone had just ignored him, as they had done for a while now.

''Aw, don't be so grumpy.'' Freeze Blade patted the snarling Seadog on his head.

''I hate you.'' Patches gritted through his teeth.

''Hey, maybe we're not so different after all.'' Night Shift smirked. He'd been guarding the Seadogs, although it seemed more like he was protecting the youngest member of the team, just in case anything happened. Of course, he didn't announce that.

A sudden, gruff bark made everyone flinch.

''Be quiet!'' Night Shift struck Patches.

''I don't think that was him.'' Wash Buckler was staring at something in the distance. A Chillydog had stepped out of the shadows, scowling at them.

Patches whistled, ''Lucky! Over here, boy!'' The Seadogs tried to call him-Lucky-over. The Chillydog stalked towards the Skylanders, growling. But then the Skylanders's own reinforcements returned. A red dot had flickered onto the floor, instantly piquing the Chillydog's attention. He woofed, pawing at the dot intently. The dot moved, and the dog followed. They continually did this; that was until Spy Rise had fired some webs at him, tangling him up. Much to his surprise, the dog had somehow teleported out from the webbing. Furiously, he opened his maw, drooling. ''_Rwrff_...''

* * *

Spy Rise had staggered, limping slightly. All of the other Swappers were following behind him, tiredly. Lucky had put up a real fight; he clearly wasn't the average Chillydog. When it had looked like he was defeated, he quickly recovered, snarling like mad. The Cardmaster probably enchanted him, but if not, Lucky was definitely lucky. They had tied him up with his companions, but they were still certain he would manage to escape. Lucky had done a lot more damage to the Swappers than the Seadogs, that was a fact. Now, the Skylanders were searching for Stink Bomb, it just dawning upon them that they had nearly left him. Trap Shadow, though licking his bite wounds and exhausted, he was able to track still. But anyone could track Stink Bomb's scent. Spy Rise halted the Swappers by sticking an arm out. ''You hear that too, right?'' Trap Shadow whispered.

Laughter. Spy Rise nodded. He carefully inched around the wall, the others doing the same. Stink Bomb was apparently...talking to a door. Whatever was happening, Stink Bomb appeared to be having the time of his life, his back up against the door. ''And then I-'' he began.

''W-who are you talking to?'' Spy Rise asked.

Stink Bomb immediately flinched, ''H-hey...''

''Who are you talking to?'' Spy Rise repeated.

''Uhm...It's classified.''

Spy Rise had seemed rather flabbergasted at the reply. He opened his mouth to speak, only to close it. ''Alright...Just get ready to leave, okay?'' He led the others out.

Stink Bomb heaved a sigh, relieved at the sight of them gone. ''I've gotta go...'' Stink Bomb whispered to the door.

''To the potty?'' Poochie inquired quizzically.

''W-wha? No...''

''You're leaving...So soon?''

''Yeah...sorry.''

Poochie whimpered, quite loudly. ''But...but...I just met you.''

''It's important Skylander-y business. Uh...Au revior!''

''Au revior...''

Stink Bomb got up, but much to his surprise, Freeze Blade was still there. The ice cat stared at him, smirking smugly. That couldn't be good.

''What?!'' Stink Bomb exclaimed.

''You've met someone, haven't you?''

''What do you mean?'' Stink Bomb rose a brow.

Freeze Blade snickered, skating up to him, putting an icy arm around his shoulders. ''You know...'' he drawled.

Stink Bomb only snorted, pushing him off and walking away as Freeze Blade began to ask him questions.

* * *

Bursts of jeering laughter had conjured from the bar at the arrival of The Cardmaster. He gnashed his teeth together, holding back the harsh growls that tried to emerge. It was late at night, The Cardmaster's favorite time. He had come alone, for he had decided that his crewmates were utterly useless. He had been the laughing-stock for Salty Shores for some time now. Around here, he was simply just the lunatic who believed he was a Portal Master. His beliefs of power were the lies fed to him on a silver platter by Eon, the lethal lies that filled his mind with unsightly thoughts. The pain was of others was truly relishing, it had relieved the darkness inside of him. But even then, that darkness needed to be unleashed someday. Someday.

''The Cardmaster! Hahaha!'' he glazed over all the pirates chortling at him. They too would be begging for mercy in the future, he knew it. Being an ultimate Portal Master, he was a prophet as well. He knew he wasn't going to win the battle for Dragon's Peak, but he also knew that Crook wouldn't fail him. That fox was slick, making Windham go under more devastation wasn't very difficult. They were just bird; just stupid birds! They were too easy to manipulate. Creating an alliance with them would be helpful though; The Esper had gone through too much already, some Sky Baron ships were more adapted to the sky. ''Look it's a Portal Master!'' The Cardmaster flattened his ears back at the exclaim.

''I am here for the owner of this bar. Is the owner here?'' The Cardmaster barked. As if on cue, a Squidface Brute narrowed his eyes at him, sitting with a group of burly Seadogs. ''You, you are the one I am searching for, yes?''

''Correct.'' the Squidface grumbled. He got up from the table with a grunt, trudging towards The Cardmaster, dragging his hefty anchor across the floor. ''What are ya here for, loony?''

''Ha, loony!'' Some more snickers barged in. The Cardmaster grimaced at them, but that hadn't really cared, too busy cracking up. ''Loony!''

The Cardmaster turned back to the Squidface. The brute had almost loomed over him. ''I am in need of some of this...bar. Do we have a deal, yes? Okay, hand them over.''

''My bar?''

''No...'' The Cardmaster's voice dripped with sarcasm.

''You want my bar?! You better scram, runt!''

''Why should-'' The Cardmaster began. The Squidface Brute had swung his anchor, but The Cardmaster quickly ducked. ''That was rude.''

''If you want my bar, you'll have to-''

''Fight for it? Alright, but just to warn you, I am a Portal Master.'' The Cardmaster smirked. Everyone in the bar had silenced themselves, eager to watch the tussle.

''I don't care!'' the Squidface Brute bellowed. The pirate raised his weapon in hopes of slamming in down on The Cardmaster, but his enemy had simply dodged out of the way. The Squidface Brute struggled to pull it out of the floor, but it didn't budge.

The Cardmaster turned towards the nearest table, crowded by Seadogs. He promptly leapt onto it, making the Seadogs bolt away. The Squidface gave up on the weapon, scowling at The Cardmaster. ''I'll kill you, runt!''

The Seadog was indeed getting slightly worried. He gazed at his paws, but no magic had appeared. ''Lookin' for this?'' The Cardmaster whipped around to find that another Seadog had taken his dagger. The Cardmaster snarled at the laughing stealer. But as he was having a stareoff, the Squidface Brute had pummeled into the table he had stood on, knocking him and a few others down. The Cardmaster was thrown around a bit before being slid across various tables. Unfortunately, glasses had been in the way, and so glass had dug into his skin. He finally tobbled of the edge of a table, hitting the ground with a yelp. To tell the truth, he hadn't prophesied that outcome. The Squidface stalked towards him; he was relentless! But The Cardmaster wasn't finished either. He closed his eyes, concentrating deeply, murmuring to himself.

''Aw, he's praying.'' he flicked his ears at a giggle.

The Cardmaster inhaled and exhaled. This needed to work! This needed to work! The Squidface had glared at him, furiously. ''I'm gonna en-'' The Squidface began. The Cardmaster swiped the air with a paw, and a dreadful shriek was heard.

He opened his eyes.

The Squidface was holding what had appeared to be a blue stump with his left hand, blubbering. What happened? He glanced down, eyes widening at the limp hand that had been on the floor. It was twitching. The Cardmaster looked up at paw. Blue had sprayed it, mushy morsels of flesh on his claw. Blood? Blood! The Cardmaster grinned deviously at the sight, his eyes darting to the writhing hand and back to his own. He'd done it! His _real,_ threatening magic was back again!

''My hand! My hand!'' the Squidface Brute cried. The Cardmaster looked around at the shocked faces of the pirates. They whispered among themselves, ''D-did he just...?''

The Cardmaster rose a paw, and thrust it forward. The Squidface fell back at the force, much to The Cardmaster's delight. ''Pfft, it'll grow back!'' The Seadog staggered up, panting. ''Now, who wants to join me?''


	8. Mine!

_Yep, Poochomb, Stinkie, insert other Stink BombxPoochie shipping names. Poochie and Stink weren't even supposed to have their moment then; I just thought it would be good to introduce their relationship like that. It seemed weird to introduce Poochie, and then wait a bunch of other chapters until the lovebirds meet in another pirate Cloudbreak bar and-__**SPOILERS**_

_Anywho, I feel like I should bring this up, the real trekking part should be around chapter 10-15, but I'm not making any promises. Last time it took twenty four chapters to make the true adventure begin..._

* * *

''It looks a tad bit...flimsy.'' Spy Rise commented. It had been time to deliver the some supplies back to Windham, but like always, the Swappers had ran into a few problems. But they were leaving early, it in the middle of dawn, so the Rapid Winds would be crossed of their conflict list. Sprocket had been thoughtful enough to provide some fast transportation. Some odd, broken down transportation...

''It's a perfectly fine hot air balloon. It's just a little old, but it still works.'' Sprocket replied.

''It looks more like something from thrift shop,'' Grilla Drilla poked at the wicker basket of the balloon. ''Like a hand-me-down.''

''**AFFIRMATIVE. IT IS A HAND-ME-DOWN.**'' Drobot nodded. Sprocket glanced at him, grimacing, as if she wanted to whack the dragon with her wrench. ''**THAT IS THE TRUTH, SPROCKET.**''

''Okay, yes, it is a hand-me down per se. I-it was free! I found it. So I thought, why not get it? Flynn's off doing something _important_, Sharpfin's all the way out in Cloudbreak, and we need some sort of transportation.''

Trap Shadow grunted, ''Can't we just use the Portals? It's a lot faster than this...thing. And we could just rent one of the hot air balloons from Lost Islands...'' Drobot shook his head. ''What? What do you mean no?''

''**USING THE PORTALS WILL FRIGHTEN THE SKY BARONS. THEY WILL SEE YOU AS ENEMIES, AND WILL MOST LIKELY KILL YOU ON** **SIGHT.**''

''That's not very reassuring.'' Stink Bomb winced. Being killed on sight was definitely something the Swappers didn't want to face. They were already on The Cardmaster's death list, at least they thought they were. He hadn't said that he was going to kill them like other, regular villains. In fact, the Skylanders hadn't even understood why he was after them. Perhaps it was like everyone else's plan: defeat the Skylanders and take over Skylands.

''**THE LOST ISLANDS ARE CURRENTLY FACING THE RAPID WINDS.**''

''Some of us can teleport without Portals.'' Night Shift said.

''But can you teleport everyone else with you?'' Sprocket questioned. ''I've never seen you attempt that before. It would be neat to watch.''

''Ooo, it does seem like a neat trick! Let's do that!'' Hoot Loop clapped his talons together in delight. He'd appeared rather careless about this transportation situation, floating upside in mid-air with a smile upon his face.

''You mean, it _did_ seem like a neat trick. You've tried that before...It was like being blasted apart all over again. It never works.'' Doom Stone stated. Most of the teleporting incidents had ended up to be failures. A lot of the time during the accidents, the Swappers unwillingly switched parts...usually with explosion for an unknown reason. On a rare occasion, they had been completely separated, their bottom halves seemingly missing. So, they had to crawl around with their hands until they found them. The art of Swapping was quite bizarre, anyway. Sometimes it happened on pure accident, much to their dismay.

''Oh, right...'' Hoot Loop frowned. He perked up though, staring at the hot air balloon. The balloon altogether was kind of dreadful. Some white tape had was covering the misfortunates of the blue balloon. The cords kind of looked like they were going to snap. The basket was deformed, dented and distorted as if it had been in some battle. ''How are we supposed to fit into that?''

''It has enough space...I think.'' Wash Buckler peered into the strange basket. Jet-Vac did the same. He had joined the Swappers on their mission. Since he was a Sky Baron originating from Windham, he knew the most about his folk, and so it wasn't hard to accept him on their delivery adventure. ''What d'you think?'' Wash Buckler turned to the Sky

''Hm, Boom Jet, Blast Zone, and I can fly. That should make it a little easier.'' Jet-Vac then turned to the other Swappers. They were jabbering about different ideas.

''What if we don't scare the Sky Barons? They wouldn't kill us, right?'' Fire Kraken suggested.

''If we don't scare them, we could anger them, which would probably end up the same way.'' Blast Zone said.

''Can't we ride on Flavius's back?'' Free Ranger asked. ''He said that-''

''Boom Jet should deliver the supplies.'' Rubble Rouser commented.

''What? I can't carry all of that!''

''Then you could swap with Magna, and create Magna Jet, so you could lift the crates. It's simple!''

''Wait..How are we even supposed to put the crates in there?'' Stink Bomb pointed towards the basket. That was a good point. It didn't even look like it could fit a few of them in there; how could a bunch of boxes fit as well?

''I'm glad you asked. Take it away, Drobot.'' Sprocket turned towards the dragon, smiling.

Drobot cleared his throat, sounding quite odd with that robotic voice of his. He padded over to a side of the basket, grasping something. The dragon pulled back, revealing a thick, trap-like net. ''**WE INTRODUCE OUR NEW INNOVATION TO THE HOT AIR BALLOON, THE GRAPPLER. IT IS THE MOST FINEST TECHNOLOGY WE HAVE CREATED. IT IS ABLE TO HOLD...A LOT OF THINGS. IT IS AWESOME.**''

''It's just a net.'' Trap Shadow snorted. ''Anyone could make a net.''

''Uh, Eruptor, Stump Smash, Prism Break-'' Sprocket began to count on her fingers.

''**NEGATIVE, IT IS NOT JUST A NET. IT IS BETTER THAN A REGULAR NET. INQUIRE SPY RISE, HE HELPED US CREATE THE NET.**'' Drobot interrupted. Everyone's attention had been set onto him, making him tense up a bit. ''**DON'T YOU AGREE, SPY RISE?**''

''...It's a net.''

''But it's a great net. Think of the Grappler as...as a new weapon. I'm sure it'll help you somewhere.'' Sprocket added.

''We're not here to argue about the subject of nets, is this basket stable or not?'' Night Shift decided that he was fed up with the nets, shouldering through the others.

''Stable..._ish_.'' Jet-Vac placed his talons on the beaten rim of the basket.

''It's stable. I wouldn't lie about technology, you know th-'' Sprocket started.

''Great, that's very nice. Now can we leave already?!''

* * *

''Are we there yet?''

Freeze Blade had been asking the same question over and over again. They had expected this from the youngest member. Sometimes, he didn't really act his age. He was more like a kitten than anything. Night Shift had been eager to leave, but now, all he wanted to do was bash his head with his own punches.

''No...'' the other Swappers groaned.

''Why can't you just...be patient for one day in your life?'' Rubble Rouser asked.

''I dunno. Why's the sky blue? Why am I blue?'' Freeze Blade shrugged.

''We're getting close though.'' Jet-Vac announced. Freeze Blade perked up at the good news, beaming.

Trap Shadow did the same, ''Finally. It's way too cramped in here.'' Jet-Vac's plan hadn't gone as smoothly as they'd thought. It was still extremely tight, compact, as if the walls were about to close on them, swallowing them up.

Free Ranger and Fire Kraken were the only ones inside of the basket enjoying the ride. Fire Kraken hung his head outside doggishly, tongue flapping in the wind like a kite. Free Ranger had simply been enjoying the weather, smiling with delight at the breeze that fluffed his feathers. Being a Storm Chicken, he was quite fond of running out in the middle of a hurricane or tornado, while everyone else was cowering. He was the quite the storm chaser, thought of being kind of insane amongst others.

Suddenly, two black figures had zipped right past the hot air balloon, leaving a line of feathers. Sky Barons. They were screeching at each other, spiraling around, quarreling. They hadn't looked like Sky Barons at all at first; their feathers were matted and grungy, ragged cloths finishing it off. The fighting Sky Barons didn't even have weapons. They were just using their beaks, nipping and snatching what had appeared to be a pearl necklace from each other. They hadn't looked civilized at all. Unfortunately for them, they had dropped the necklace. They uttered squawks of surprise, watching it fall down into the blue. Once out of their sight, the Sky Barons attacked each other again.

''That was...weird.'' Free Ranger cocked his head.

''That was surprisingly entertaining.'' Night Shift remarked.

''Are your people always like that, Jet-Vac?'' Magna Charge asked.

''No...At least I don't think so. Windham's changed over the years. Perhaps some ruffians have emerged.''

The Skylanders had finally landed in their destination. Windham had looked virtually different, according to Jet-Vac. The gates in front of them were rusted, completely taking away its original color. The stone flooring was damp, somewhat blackened by what had appeared to be ashes. The pillars around them were cracked, gashes and markings etched into them.

Rattle Shake flickered his frail tongue out, tasting the air intently. ''No sign of dangerous, sharpshooting guards.'' But, there was an ill scent in the air. It was almost unexplainable, and was kind of smoky. His pupils darted as he checked his surroundings.

''Do you think they expected us?'' Grilla Drilla asked. ''The gates are open.''

''Well, that's a surprise.'' Jet-Vac tilted his head.

''There still could be booby traps everywhere. I've read about these Sky Barons, they're clever. So, watch your step. This could be some sort of trick...'' Trap Shadow responded, crouching to paw at the floor.

''Booby...'' Freeze Blade was struggling to keep down his cackling, grinning like no tomorrow.

''_Shusssh_! They could be watching...'' Trap Shadow hissed. He really, really got serious about being stealthy. One simple mishap and he'd lash out in annoyance. He sniffed at the ash on his paw before being caught off guard by something. The sabertooth flicked his ears, listening intently. ''Do you hear that?'' he whispered.

''No.'' The Skylanders replied in unison.

Trap Shadow muttered something to himself with a groan. ''See, this is why you all need me, you'd be totally lost without me. How do you not hear that? Has Sonic Boom been screeching in yours ears for ages or something? Geez...''

''I think you're forgetting that you're the one with the sensitive ears...'' Stink Bomb said.

''It's there again.'' Trap Shadow perked his ears up, looking like some sort of alerted Dragonbunny.

''I don't hear any-'' Rubble Rouser began.

''**SQUAAAAAWK!**''

''There it is.'' Trap Shadow smirked. He hastily grabbed the amazing Grappler with his teeth, getting onto his fours. ''Follow me!'' he dashed off. The Skylanders didn't have to be told twice. Like the entrance, Windham's interior looked just as strange. It was looked as if it had been deserted. Debris had cluttered the streets, giving it even more of a off-putting appearance. But, the Skylanders weren't here for a tour. That noise was definitely a shriek of distress.

''It's mine!''

''No it's not!''

Trap Shadow stopped himself at the sight of two, small Sky Barons. He wasn't able to tell if they were playfighting or actually trying to slaughter each other. They didn't look like very good fighters, frankly, it didn't even look like they were doing each other much harm. But there was some tension between the two. Jet-Vac had been the first to react, promptly getting in between them, while the Swappers held the duo back the best they could.

''Let me goooo!'' the female flailed her talons, struggling.

''Let me at her! Let me at her!'' the male clacked his beak, snapping the air. But the Swappers certainly wouldn't release them.

''Woah, woah, woah...What's going on here?'' Jet-Vac asked.

''He took my jewels!''

''I did not!''

''Did too!''

These two were clearly young, their lingo, size, and molting feathers showing that. Sky Barons weren't usually like this, and they were rather peaceful beings. But, ever since the invasion of the trolls, a mark in Sky Baron history where their homeland was raided, they had changed a bit, strengthening their aggressiveness. Still, they weren't known to just jump on their own kind and rip their feathers off for no reason.

''What jewels?'' Jet-Vac glanced at the two of them, analyzing their appearance. Their young fluff was dull, as if they had rolled around in soggy mud and gray smog. The girl wore a dress, tattered at the edges, looking like it had been purposely cut. A black beret was squarely placed upon her head, it tipping oddly to the side. The male wore a tunic, just as ragged and dank as the female's garb.

''He took them! Mine!''

''Noooo! She's lying!''

''You stole them! Stop denying it!''

''Hey, calm down, lass. Calm down...'' Jet-Vac interrupted. The girl, surprisingly, followed the order, exhaling. She still scowled at the boy, though. Jet-Vac signaled the Swappers, and they released their grip. The hatchlings hadn't gone back at to fighting. Instead, they just stared at each other, feathers prickling. ''Could you tell me your names?''

''I'm Bella,'' she said, ''and that **buffoon** over there is my brother, Breeze.''

''Buffoon!'' Breeze squawked. He seemed like was about to tussle again, clenching his fists.

Bella smirked at her brother, but she soon looked back up at Jet-Vac, and then to the Swappers. ''Who're you all? Mum doesn't like us talking to strangers. She says they could take your treasures with the twinkling of a eye, like my brother.'' Before anyone could say anything, her eyes widened in excitement. ''You're all Skylanders, aren't you?''

Everyone had nodded. Bella tilted her head, ''You're not pulling my feathers, are you? Oh, of course you aren't, I've read about all of you! That's enough facts for me.''

''Skylanders?'' Breeze questioned. ''But why are you he-''

''That's not important! They've got lots and lots of treasure...Right?'' Bella barged in. ''Gems, diamonds, and gold?''

''Not exactly.''

''No.''

''Negative.''

''We don't get paid...''

All of the Swappers responded unanimously.

Bella glazed her eyes over everyone suspiciously, ''All that armor looks..._expensive_.''

''Yeah...Real _expensive_.'' Breeze nodded.

''Sorry, they're not for sale.'' Wash Buckler snickered.

''Awwww...'' the two, Sky Baron siblings moaned.

''But, we do have some supplies to deliver...that contains-'' Wash Buckler began.

''Gold?!''

''Kind of. Uhm, could you show us to some sort of post office...er...'' Wash Buckler replied.

The two hesitated a bit, as if something dreaded was being conjured in their minds. They then smiled and Bella said, ''We'll see what we can do.''

That hadn't seemed very trustworthy.

As Bella and Breeze led them, they continued to push each, jeering. But Jet-Vac had promptly stepped in between them again. The rest of the town was dark, and it looked ill, like Rattle Shake had stated. Maybe it was because of all the destruction The Cardmaster had caused. Ramses had never said anything about it looking this bad, though.

Clamoring began to emerge as they inched closer into the Plaza. Sky Barons were cluttered, all eagerly staring at something. Stink Bomb promptly closed his eyes at the sight, halting in place, receiving some looks from the Swappers.

''Something's goin' on over there!'' Breeze pointed. The Swappers glanced towards Stink Bomb again, ''Oooh...'' There was indeed a crowd, which unfortunately was something on Stink Bomb's weakness list.

Bella gasped, ''Do you think that fox is back?!''

''I hope he is! He's got lots of treasure!'' Breeze nodded.

''What fox?'' Wash Buckler asked. Foxes were common in Cloudbreak; he hadn't seen many around the other parts of Skylands, not ones that weren't on vacation. But the Sky Baron kids hadn't replied. Wash Buckler turned to Jet-Vac, ''What fox?''

''I'm just as clueless as you. I've never heard of about any foxes in Windham...It's probably some merchant, a lot of them come back to make profit.''

''Well, that doesn't seem harmful or anything.'' Wash Buckler said. ''Foxes aren't usually...evil. Some are sly though, that's what I've heard anyway.'' He turned back to the crowd. ''Let's check this out though. Could be fun! Could be a play...or some show...or...''

Spy Rise rolled his eyes. Wash Buckler was always getting distracted by something. He was just plain excitable. Spy Rise had wanted to say: ''We have a quest to finish...Remember?'' But he knew that no one would listen to him. Wash Buckler was the leader, whatever he said went. Sometimes, Spy Rise had wanted to be leader. He was a lot more intelligent, formidable, and strategical. Wash Buckler was..._unique_. He was a pirate after all. Spy Rise reluctantly followed behind the team, excluding Stink Bomb and Trap Shadow.

''Just think of meadows, flowers, sunshine, and cute Dragonbunnies.'' Trap Shadow used the best calming voice he could muster, pulling Stink Bomb forward.

''That doesn't really help when you're dragging me like your prey.'' Stink Bomb responded. Trap Shadow had ignored the response, since he was surprisingly able to bring him into the crowd. Rattle Shake flickered his tongue out again. The scent was even stronger than before. Something was definitely not right here.

Sky Barons fluffed their wings, anxiously. They conversed, some in low whispers, some in squawks.

''Do you think Chester's returned?''

''I think, I-I think he has!''

''Is he gonna give us more trinkets? I like trinkets.''

''He's going to return, I know it! I saw his ship just a few hours ago!''

''General's so selfish...Nothing like Chester. Aquila's like a dragon, hoardin' everything for himself. Chester should be leader!''

Everyone's clothes were the same as Bella and Breeze's, stained, tattered, and such.

''Who's Chester?'' Fire Kraken asked, a little too loud.

''He's only the most amazing fox that's ever existed! He gave me this!'' a bluish Sky Baron whipped around, showing a bunch of shimmering, golden bracelets on her arm.

''That's nothing! Look at these!'' a white Sky Baron did the same, revealing lots of coins in his talons. The two Sky Barons looked at the Fire Kraken. Not surprisingly, they hadn't even asked why there was a Sparkler Dragon in Windham, their eyes were just fixed onto the shiniest items they could spot on him. ''Hm, that armor looks quite...extravagant. Say, what's the price for one of those...golden thingies on your arm, dragon?'' the first one asked.

Fire Kraken only blinked, ''Wha?''

''He doesn't want your bloody bracelets! Please, reconsider, I can give you my share!'' the second Sky Baron padded towards him, expectantly holding his talons out. ''These are very, very special. They're magical according to Chester. I want you to have them. Well, you know, in exchange for those _beauties_.''

''Sir, Mister Dragon, you definitely don't want that garbage! Surely, you have a...special someone out there, she'll instantly fall in love if you bring her these. I'll just be needed the gold, though.''

Breeze perked his head up from the crowd, ''How much are you selling those for?'' He scampered over to the two.

''Depends.'' the female Sky Baron said. ''What do you plan on giving me in return?''

''Well-''

''Nothing!'' Bella promptly pushed Breeze aside. She turned to him with a whisper, although she didn't keep a very good job of keeping it low, ''Don't give your treasure to these weird grownups, we'll get even more when Chester arrives!'' Breeze nodded with a little smile, but he still couldn't retain himself from staring at the bracelets and coins.

Chester this, Chester that. It was as if Chester was a god of some sort! Who was Chester? Why was he so important?! Before anymore questions could be thought of, a ship had been seen in the distance. Pirates? Wash Buckler had promptly unsheathed his cutlass. A Sky Baron, in the midst of the clutter, had fainted, and fortunately it wasn't because of the scent from any claustrophobic, frightened, ninja skunks. Nonetheless, no one even glanced down at the Sky Baron, too invested at the sky.

''Chester!'' There was a wave of squawking approval.

Chester, the talk of the whole Windham Plaza, had arrived.

* * *

Chester was a fox, as stated by many, many civilians before, so they didn't even have to look directly at him to know that. Various jewelry adorned his clothing, making him look more like a king than any average fox. His tail and exposed fur were rather glossy, shimmering just like precious treasures he wore. A staff was in his right hand, of course, being golden, like a vibrant shade of the sun. Gems were encrusted into that, as well. To top him off, a crown was placed upon his head, sparkling. He waved with his free hand before popping a lid off a crate with his staff, searching through it. He grabbed a handful of what he could find.

Chester perked his head, smiling. He threw a variety of riches towards the crowd, ''I bring you all...Gifts!'' The Sky Barons scattered, their talons out in hopes of catching them. ''There is plenty for everyone!'' Chester announced, much to the delight of the Sky Barons.

Stink Bomb had still refused to open his eyes, ''What's going on?''

''Uhm, well, there's a fox, and he's giving out...Free stuff.'' Free Ranger summed up, tilting his head.

''That sounds nice.'' Stink Bomb remarked. ''What's he giving away?''

''Treasure. Say, should we bring some of this stuff back? Look at this thing... It's shiny.'' Grilla Drilla waved a glistening, miniature snowglobe, bedazzled with a little bit of glitter at its bottom.

''Magnificent!'' Hoot Loop scooped the globe out of his hands, hooting at it intently. A few other Swappers, Freeze Blade, Fire Kraken, Free Ranger, and Magna Charge, raced towards them.

''Oooooh...'' they all awed. Hoot Loop shook it up, gaining even more _oooohs_. ''Ahhhhh...''

''Let me try! Lemme try!'' Freeze Blade raised a paw.

''Pick me!'' Fire Kraken called.

Wash Buckler, fighting back not to stare at the intriguing trinket, watched the fox toss more valuables. Some hit the ground and broke into pieces, but the Sky Barons hadn't cared. It was still shiny. They risked getting sharp slabs of glass and such getting stuck in their talons. It was still shiny, and that was all that mattered. Trap Shadow and Rattle Shake were sharing a compass, amazed by it. Rattle Shake hadn't seemed uncomfortable anymore, too busy staring at compass. The though of free stuff was great and all, but something still wasn't right about this whole thing. Doom Stone exchanged a glance to Wash Buckler, the stone warrior pointing his sword towards the net of their own treasures.

''Oh, right!'' Wash Buckler had almost forgotten. It had been the reason they were here in the first place. Somehow, it was unscathed. Perhaps the cluster of greedy Sky Barons just hadn't noticed.

''This fox is here, the Sky Barons have their full attention onto him, Stink Bomb is acting as if he's blind, and half the team over there are fiddling with a snowglobe.'' Spy Rise reported. ''What's your plan?''

''Uh..hm...Nothing really.'' Wash Buckler shrugged. Spy Rise gave him a look, that typical, brow raised look. ''What? What?! I'm not the...techy dude here.''

Spy Rise sighed, ''I guess we should just wait for General.''

''I didn't even know we had a new leader. It'd be nice to meet him.'' Jet-Vac commented.

As if on cue, a shrill, hoarse shriek had alarmed the three, making them look to the right. A Sky Baron was slouched, staring at them intently. His feathers were gray, a few of them a greenish and purple tint, giving him a pigeon-like appearance. He was mottled with some white. The Sky Baron beckoned to them before slipping behind the wall of a building.

''D'you think we should follow him?'' Wash Buckler asked. Spy Rise hadn't replied, already in the midst of following the Sky Baron.

* * *

''I am Aquila. Or...or was it Equinox? Or Quil? Gah, you may call me General.'' the Sky Baron croaked, wincing his eyes. Wash Buckler, Spy Rise, and Jet-Vac were gathered around the Sky Baron. A tent was his home, it standing behind him. ''I have never seen Sky Barons like you all before. It must just be my eyesight. I'm gettin' too old for all this gold hubbub.'' He blinked, ''My apologies, you are all just...strange.''

''Well, we're not all Sky Barons.'' Wash Buckler said with a nod towards Jet-Vac.

''My, my visitors. Would you like a spot of tea? O-or some sugarcubes? Tea with sugarcubes? Yes, of course you do. You've probably come a long way. Hehehe, you didn't ran into those...those wind thingies, no? I hope you didn't...Or maybe I should. I don't remember. Wot are those windy storms again. Ah, yes, earthquakes, I knew that.'' General rambled. He skittered into his tent.

The trio of Skylanders all exchanged glances, but didn't say anything. General didn't seem quite right in the head. Nonetheless, the other Sky Barons didn't seem right in the head.

''Here we are. Teatime, my favorite time. Unlike a _few other Sky Barons_ I know...'' General's tone of voice changed, rather frostily. He fluffed his feathers out a bit, before handing Spy Rise the tea, and giving the platter to Jet-Vac.

''Um...'' Jet-Vac stared at it, bewildered.

''T-thanks.'' Spy Rise mustered a smile.

''Sugarcubes?!'' General turned to Wash Buckler, grasping a tiny, brown bag of sugarcubes. He waited expectantly for the Mermasquid to take it.

Wash Buckler reluctantly tipped his hat in approval, gradually taking the bag from him.

General clapped his hands together, ''Good! Now, wot are you boys here for 'gain? Oh, right, I was going to warn you. Hahaha, silly me.'' He then furrowed his brows, his happiness seemingly decimating in seconds. ''Windham has changed.'' he sighed, peeking over at the crowd from a far. ''Beware of that fox.''

''Beware of the fox?'' Jet-Vac echoed.

''Yes, yes. That backstabber is up to no good, I just know it. He's takin' my leadership day by day. Grubby mooch.'' General's feathers shook in indignation.

''The fox those civilians are calling...Chester, sir?'' Spy Rise shouldered through Jet-Vac and Wash Buckler to get closer. His interrogation had kicked in.

General's eyes widened, ''Yes! How did you know? Are you some sort of prophet?''

Spy Rise smiled. ''That's classified.''

''He's not a prophet.'' Wash Buckler said. He then turned towards Spy Rise, raising a brow. ''Or are you?''

''Chester was an rather...uninvited guest. He's quite the manipulator, yes? I had no idea someone could hoard so much treasure! It was amazing! We could've been wealthy for centuries! And they were magical! But, my fellow Sky Barons had turned on me, ultimately making Chester superior in everyway. Now, I am only a hermit. Hehe,_ traitors_...They plucked out me feathers. They clocked me in the head! They're ruining this place. No, Chester's ruining this place. My place. Alas, he's got tons of treasure and trinkets, who could ask for more?! But I still hate him...And yet I tolerate him. Wot would you call that, fellas? Frenemies? Hah, it's all the same to me!'' General's ramble proved itself to be even more boggling than before. Did he dislike him? Or did he like him? He said it at such as fast speed the Skylanders couldn't even comprehend most of his words.

''So...is Chester some sort of acquaintance?'' Spy Rise asked.

General only stared blankly in confusion.

''Nevermind.''

''So, there's some sort of rivalry between you two?'' Wash Buckler inquired, just as confused as General. ''I didn't quite catch the love-hate part.''

The question had simply slipped past General's mind. ''Chester needs to be defeated! Killllled!''

Killed? Killed? The Skylanders didn't exactly _kill, _per se. Yes, they did kill, but not without reason. Chester hadn't seemed that bad; he was indeed giving riches to the poor, ragged Sky Barons. Wasn't that good? General squawked, shaking the feathers around his head. He scowled at the sudden cheer from the Sky Barons. The elder then looked back up at the Skylanders. ''That is where you step in.'' he smirked.

''What?!'' the Skylanders asked in unison.

''Ta-ta!'' General waved. He swiftly fluttered back into his tent, with an maniacal laugh, of course. The Skylanders stared for a moment, hoping that he would pop back out of the tent, hoping that he was just joking around. But the Sky Baron had gone for good.

''W-what was that about?'' Wash Buckler's face was pure bemusement. He looked towards Jet-Vac, expecting an answer. The Air Skylander had only shrugged. Wash Buckler then looked towards Spy Rise; surely he would have some sort of explanation.

''Insanity.'' his voice was filled with uncertainty, though.

The three Skylanders had returned back into the plaza. Jet-Vac was actually drinking tea with sugarcubes, and was enjoying it. He acted as if it was the best thing ever, proudly strutting around with his tea. Perhaps the General's weirdness and the town's gloom hadn't spread to it. The crowd still hadn't left yet, just as joyous as before. For some reason, the team was surrounding Hoot Loop, intrigued by something. Trap Shadow then swiveled his head to arriving trio, his ears perked up as always. He had sensed them, just as quick as that. ''Take a look at this.'' he gestured his head towards Hoot Loop.

Without question, they walked towards the group. Wash Buckler rose a brow, ''What?''

''I think you'll find this to be...interesting.'' Hoot Loop held up a book, smiling for some reason. The book looked rather hefty, and Hoot Loop's hand shifted a bit at its weight. It appeared to be just as bad as the hot air balloon, beat up and disfigured. It smelt of seawater, as if had been drenched in it for ages. An old card was sticking from one of the pages like a bookmark. But the one thing that stood out the most was the large, blackened pawprint on its cover. It had belonged to a Seadog.

''How the heck did you find this? You didn't steal from the Esper, right? Not like that I have a problem with that or anything.''

''Chester.'' Hoot Loop responded. He flipped the book open, happily. ''He gave this to me. Isn't that wonderful?''

_This guy is obviously related to The Cardmaster, but how?_ Wash Buckler thought. _Is he like an assassin? Or is just a regular harmless fox...Naah._

The Skylanders watched intently as Hoot Loop flipped the pages. Randomly, a splash of color had been seen on one page, but Hoot Loop didn't seem to notice.

''Wait, go back, I think that was a picture! All of this other stuff is boring. It's just words.'' Freeze Blade briefly placed a paw on the _boring_ page. Hoot Loop went back a few pages, stopping on the colorful one.

There were a lot of scribbles, everywhere, as if this was a coloring book.

''Does The Cardmaster have some child onboard? Or some children?'' Free Ranger cocked his head.

''Not that I know of...It didn't say anything about that.'' Hoot Loop turned his head as well. Free Ranger flipped the page, finding big, dark, red letters that read-

''Poochie wazz heres...'' The Skylanders read aloud. Poochie wazz heres? Poochie was here?

''That definitely sounds like a Seapup.'' Magna Charge remarked.

Free Ranger nodded, ''Well, whoever Poochie is, he, she...or it, left us notes.''

Freeze Blade squinted, ''Why does that name sound familiar?'' He then turned to Stink Bomb, smiling. ''Oh that's right! That's your babe!'' the ice cat nudged Stink Bomb, making the skunk slightly recoil. Stink Bomb could flinch at anything. A small jab and he'd collapse as if he'd been bulldozed. ''Why didn't you introduce her sooner?'' Freeze Blade continued to poke.

''She's not my _babe_.'' Stink Bomb responded, doing an amazingly, accurate impression of Freeze Blade.

''Babe? Stink Bomb has a girl? Am I hearing things?'' Wash Buckler questioned. As if that was an alarm, full attention was set onto the skunk, who shifted his feet a little.

''What?'' Stink Bomb smiled bashfully.

''That was the classified information?'' Spy Rise asked in disbelief.

''Kinda. W-well, I didn't want you to break open the door and fight a sweet, little Seapoodle!''

''Seapoodle?'' Magna Charge was already intrigued. ''Is that some sort of subspecies of Seadogs. Or are they not related to them at all? What are they like? How fluffy are they?''

''It's a rare breed.'' Stink Bomb replied. ''Poochie's a good pirate, like Wash Buckler. And she's French. I could only feel her paws...Her paws are really, really _superfluffy_...'' he began to daydream, staring off into space.

''And she has no sense of smell, perhaps?'' Trap Shadow snickered, rudely interrupting Stink Bomb's fantasy.

''For your information, she _wuvs_ my scent.''

''That's impossible. Are you sure she's not totally insane? W-what does wuv even mean?''

''Sane or insane, she's left us a lot of pictures.'' Free Ranger barged in, taking the book from Hoot Loop. ''Some of this could be important. This is The Cardmaster's book; there has to be something other than scribbles and torn pages.'' He continued to analyze, looking for informative pages.

Freeze Blade groaned, ''Yeah, tons of other things that aren't interesting. Let's look at some more of those Poochie drawings, hm? She wrote some stuff, right?''

Free Ranger hadn't meant to, but he stopped on another one of Poochie's pages. A strangely drawn Spyro was on it, in the midst of flying, while Poochie and two other poodle-like figures were onto of him, riding. A little more doodles under it were Stealth Elf, Eruptor, Terrafin, and Chop Chop.

As Freeze Blade bugged Free Ranger some more, Wash Buckler felt as if he was being watched, despite all the Sky Barons who were probably staring at him as well.

''Hullo!'' Chester had seemingly appeared right next to him, grinning.

''Woah!'' Wash Bucker exclaimed, jumping back in surprise. ''Heh...heh, hi...''

Chester licked his fangs. ''Wash Buckler, pleased to meet your acquaintance.'' He said cheerily, almost too cheerily.

* * *

''Curses!''

The Cardmaster snarled, pulling on his ears. He snapped his jaws, quite loudly. Once again, The Cardmaster was failing. But, surprisingly, not because of the Skylanders. ''Where is the book?!'' he barked. He'd been trudging around the Esper, grumbling madly to himself. He stalked the halls like a deranged wildcat, causing quite a ruckus. He was searching for hours, hours, with no sign of his book. That book was very, very valuable. Poochie had her diary, and The Cardmaster had his spellbook. He needed that book! Finally, for the first time in months, his powers had returned. What was he with only one simple spell? All he was good at so far was the Amputation Spell. Yes, the Spellbook had been given to him by Master Eon, the enemy. Nonetheless, all of those spells were quite helpful. Sometimes, he did indeed feel like ripping it apart, burning it in a fire, and marking his territory on its ashes, but without the book, he was nothing.

''Cards...?''

The Cardmaster swiveled his head, finding none other than Poochie. The Seapoodle was stroking a Snapper. The poor thing was powered in pink, bedazzled, and was trying its best to wriggle from Poochie's firm grasp. A sparkly collar was choking it, and so was Poochie's grip. She was cuddling it, putting it closer to her. Unlike her usual happiness, she looked groggy, her eyes almost closed up.

''What're you doing?! That's a Snapper!'' The Cardmaster shrieked, his fur pointing up in alarm.

Poochie blinked, as if she was stuck in a haze. ''T-this is Princess Sugar Dazzling, but I just call her Dazzling. She's my new friend.''

The Cardmaster could only stare, utterly confused. Poochie was completely insane, and just all-around confusing. The Cardmaster was starting to believe that she was dropped on her head when she was a baby. The Cardmaster didn't know a lot of the Treacherous Trio's orgins; he had just made a deal with them. They had been young explorers, apparently pickpocketing when they were just around twelve months in Seadog years, and twelve year olds. Seadogs were able to be grow up on their own by that time, and the Trio was no exception. They weren't orphans or anything like that, since their mother had been a friend of The Cardmaster for a long time. She was kind of a love interest.

The Cardmaster shook his head, grimacing. She wasn't anymore though, definitely not.

''Dazzling, wave to Cards, bébé.'' Poochie flopped Dazzling's head up and down towards The Cardmaster. Dazzling had only spat out glowing, green acid, it burning through the floorboards. Dazzling stopped thrashing, breathing heavily. ''Aw, she's just a little moody...Don't mind her Cardy.''

_Moody because you're aggravating her_, The Cardmaster thought. He winced, curling his lip with his usual scowl. ''Why are you here?''

''This is the Esper; I'm always here.'' Poochie laughed. ''Silly, silly Cards.''

The Cardmaster sighed irritably, ''What are you doing _here_?'' Poochie tilted her head, uttering a soft, baffled whimper.

''Nevermind.'' The Cardmaster rolled his eyes. ''Have you seen the Spellbook?''

''You mean, the Colorbook? Our Colorbook?''

''Yes, yes, the...the _Colorbook_.''

''Nope!'' Poochie yapped. ''I was upstairs, like you asked, sleeping...Well, it was my beauty sleep. And I was dreaming about-''

''The Skylanders?''

''How did you know? Oh, that's right, you're psychic!''

''No, you just happen to be extremely predictable.''

''Oh, wait, no. It wasn't all about the Skylanders. It was about that place. Ummm, what did Mouffy call it again? Cloudsomething...''

''Cloudbreak?''

''Yes!''

The Cardmaster mumbled beneath his breath. Poochie had been talking about it ever since the Esper was invaded by those Skylunatics. The Cardmaster already knew she'd befriended one of them, but he didn't give any severe punishments. But he did take away her treats, since she had hidden her diary, much to his dismay. Poochie had even given a nickname to this_ new friend_: Mouffy. The Cardmaster didn't know a lot of French, but he knew that it was short for moufette. Which meant...Skunk. Apparently, she'd liked...that revolting creature. Yes, all the Skylanders were disgusting creatures, but this one was a skunk. A skunk!

''Well, I was thinking about it for a while, about...Cloudbrock, and...''

''You want to go there, correct?''

Poochie nodded, unwillingly making Dazzling bob her head up and down as well with a paw. ''Can we? Can we? Can we?''

The Cardmaster gave her a cold, stern stare. He bared his teeth, growling a little. Cloudbreak? Cloudbreak! That would push them off schedule! They were supposed to pillage villages the closest next to them, not the ones that couldn't be reached quickly! It did seem like a nice offer, you know, to ruin the Skylanders's lives by taking villages one by one within the blink of an eye, knowing that they couldn't stop such a powerful Seadog. But, he was trying to take it slow. Let one place suffer, and then move onto the next one when it was time.

Poochie instantly whimpered, ''Why not? Whhyyyy?''

''Because I'm your captain, and I get to make the decisions.''

Poochie wouldn't go down so easily, though. She sniffled, her tail drooping low. And then, then her eyes widened. The Cardmaster promptly veered away, but Poochie would not be defeated. The Cardmaster gingerly shifted his head a little, but that was only for the worst. Poochie was right in front of him, staring deep into his soul. She wasn't even blinking! Big pools of baby blue became brimmed with tears, her eyes shining. The Cardmaster couldn't look away; it had been too late. He drew his ears back, a little sliver of guilt appearing in his heart. ''Fff...ff..f-fine.''

Poochie immediately stepped back, grinning. She fistpumped the air, making Dazzling nearly slip out of her grasp. ''Yesssss!''

The Cardmaster shook his head, ashamed of himself. What had he just done?


	9. All That Glimmers

The Cardmaster sniffed. A burning sensation prodded at his nose; the scent of smoke swirling around his nostrils. Crackling had made his ears perk up in alarm. Fire. ''No...'' The Cardmaster frowned, flattening his ears back like a lost puppy. All of his memories were coming back to him, but in a dreaded, horrible way. This was a nightmare. He was surrounded by flames. The fire's light had reflected into his eyes, almost blinding. He stood in pure fear as the fire started to inch closer to him, burning the floorboard beneath him. Even though he knew this wasn't actually happening, it had felt so real. Too real. With a determined growl, he hurriedly ran through the fire. He remembered that he had indeed been fireproof back then, thanks to his magic abilities, so it didn't too much but scorch his fur...But even that proved a little painful. And even though he was fire resistant, his cape certainly wasn't, and it began to be eaten by flames. Hastily, he patted it out the best he could. Though still torched, he decided to bolt onwards. His throat started to itch; he hadn't even realized that he was whimpering. Mother was the only thing on his mind. He halted, staring at the multiple shifting shadows among him. Skylanders. He had wanted to run at that point, run away as far as possible. The Skylanders were virtually blackness, their silhouettes the only familiar thing about them.

''You...you bastards!'' The Cardmaster shrieked, his voice cracking with several whines. The Skylanders had seemed to smile, big, smug, wide grins were painted white upon their black faces. But they hadn't responded. But they did snicker. And laugh. And chortle. And cackle. It was awful, like sharp claws shredding across a blackboard. The Cardmaster cringed at the terrible noises. He wanted to rip his own ears off, their mirth was just too much, it drilling into his head. The shadows got closer, and as they got closer, more had appeared. They were all diverse, yet still retaining that same, stupid face. There were huge shadows, really, really big shadows. They had earthshattering laughs. Then, there were medium-sized Skylanders, not too little, not too big, but they were tall. There had been about sixteen of them, and The Cardmaster had already recognized them. And then, there were ones he hadn't recognized, like a whole other group of Skylanders. There were at least over hundreds of them, not that The Cardmaster was actually counting them, though. How many Skylanders were there?! He was too terrified to even say anything else. No matter how different, they were all doing the same thing: mocking. The amount of them made him feel like an useless insect. He didn't have anything else to do but back up in submission. Their cold paws, claws, hands, and stubby appendages had pushed him back into the center that they had started to close up on. It was just like the fire all over again. The Cardmaster lay on the floor, helpless. The Seadog placed his paws onto his head, curling up into a ball.

''Cardma_ssss_ter...''

The Cardmaster flinched. That wasn't a Skylander's voice. It was still familiar though.

But before he could see what was hissing, he awoke.

Candy stood at the edge of his bed, grinning at him. She briefly gave him a lick on the ear, much to The Cardmaster's dismay. He groaned and wrinkled his snout, ''What did I tell you about sneaking up on me like that? And what have I told you about going into the Captain's Room? And why are you even here?!''

''Because...'' Candy suppressed a short laugh, putting a paw onto The Cardmaster's head. ''You were whimpering in your sleep! Like, really, really loudly! You should really start sleeping with something. Like a blanket! Well, no, that'd make you seem like a big baby...Ah! I know of just what can help you! I always sleep with my favorite boas! They're so soft...''

The Cardmaster slid back under his covers, drawing his ears back in annoyance.

Candy continued to ramble. ''I can fight off the _evil _Skylanders for you. Well, if you offer me some of those delectable rock candies. You know, the ones that bubble up in your mouth and...''

The Cardmaster stuffed his fingers into his ears. It was nice to know that she'd run into the fray in attempt of protecting him, but she still wasn't very good at fighting. Breaking a nail was her only concern in a brawl. Candy was the youngest, smallest, and definitely the most vain of the Trio. She could be rather hyper at times, but Unlike the others, she was very precise about grooming and what she wore. For this so-called Cloudbreak Vacation, she had picked out the shiniest necklaces she had and they were all on her neck. They shimmered, all of them various colors, ruby, sapphire, emerald...The accessories multiple gifts from Patches. The deputy had been trying to impress the Seapoodles. His love for them was obvious throughout the Esper. Yes, he was cruel at times, but that was only because The Cardmaster would skin him alive if he continued to get off-task. Patches' flirtatious moves hadn't seemed to be working though.

''Cards? Cards? Cards!'' Candy eventually pulled the covers off of The Cardmaster. ''Get up!''

''What?'' The Cardmaster growled, pushing his face into a pillow.

''Cloudbreak!''

The Cardmaster grabbed his covers again with a grumble. _Cloudbreak_, he thought,_ yaaay_. He was already off to a bad start. It had still been early, but The Cardmaster acted more like a nocturnal beast than a Seadog. He liked sleeping and was probably the most laziest onboard.

''Poochie's tail is going to fall off if she keeps wagging it. She's really, really, really, really-''

''I get it, Candy. Poochie is excited.'' The Cardmaster raised his head a little. ''Just five more minutes...'' he closed his eyes.

''Aucun!'' Candy pulled him off of the bed. The captain yelped, landing on his back, sprawled out. Did that really just happen? At least there was no other crew member was there to witness his tumble. But then again, Candy was quite the gossiper. ''It's time to go to Cloudbreak!''

''I know...'' The Cardmaster grumbled.

* * *

''May I interest you in some gems, Skylanders? These are free, you know.''

Chester had been trying to _interest _them with shiny trinkets for a while now. Hey, it was worth a shot, right? These guys were Skylanders, surely they'd care to take up at least one offer. And then maybe the Skylanders would be trampled by desperate Sky Barons. Chester mentally snickered, a smile curving upon his face at the thought. Yes, that would be hilarious. Chester was excellent at persuasion. His trickery knew no bounds. Maybe that was because he wasn't raised like the other foxes; he'd been around criminals all his childhood. With little, weird grin of his, he was certain that anyone could fall under his spell. Chester was definitely quite the charmer. It might have seemed as if he was throwing gold out like a helpful, thoughtful fox, but all that gold would lead the Sky Barons straight to their doom! _Doom_, Chester thought,_ heheh_. That word was branded into his mind, he used to work for Kaos after all. Charismatic and yet crude, Chester was truly something.

''No...'' The Skylanders replied, monotone.

''Pearl necklace?''

''No...''

''Diamond bracelets? They're _handcrafted_!'' Chester asked, singsongy.

''No...''

Chester flattened his ears. Hm, these Skylanders were more intelligent than he had thought. With a exasperated sigh, he tossed all of the treasure in his grasp behind him, the Sky Barons scrambling to catch them. ''Please, Skylanders, you're my customers. A-are you sure you don't want any of my fine riches? I'm sure there's something you'll like.''

''We're not here to-'' Jet-Vac began.

''Ah, yes. You've got supplies to deliver. Unfortunately, I'm afraid I've already got that covered. Right, my little birdies?!'' Chester turned to the Sky Barons. They had promptly cheered with unanimous _yaaays_ and woops, before plucking the leftover treasure of the ground, hastily. ''See? Skylanders aren't the only ones who are heroically amazing. Not them, I am referring to myself, if you had not noticed. But they're great as well.''

Chester glanced at the Skylanders, who had been giving him strange looks. It was as if they didn't trust him. Chester continued to beam like an innocent child, his tail swishing to and fro. The big cat, Trap Shadow, narrowed his eyes at him. He bared his teeth ferociously. Even though he was a fuzzy, purple kitty, Chester had felt a surge of fear prickle his fur. Those jaws would probably crush his bones, not to mention the scary traps that dangled from his paws. Chester shivered, but managed to keep his posture. Now that he thought about it, all of the Skylanders looked frightening, even the chicken! The worst part about it was that he couldn't read their expressions. Were they planning to end him right there? Were they plotting to capture him? What if they were going to torture him with their sharp, pointy weapons?! Chester decided not to dwell on it for too long, nervously snickering through his fangs. The Skylanders, quite simultaneously, got into a group huddle, much to Chester's fright. That couldn't be good, right?

_Nice going_, the fox chided himself inside his own mind,_ you jinxed it_! That was Crook, his split personality. Yes, they were both evil, but Crook was the brains behind all of it, Chester only followed his orders.

_How? I didn't do anything!_

_You ruined everything! You always ruin everything!_

_Hey, I'm in charge of Windham, remember? I know what I'm doing...I think. _He tightened up, his tail sweeping the floor in a slow motion. He started to strain his ears, but all he could hear was whispers and murmurs. The Cardmaster was definitely going to murder him now. That is, if the Skylanders don't beat the Seadog to it. Maybe it was a good time to run? Yeah, he could forget all about this stupid Windham place, and live in Woodburrow. That was always a nice place!

_Augh, what are they blabbering about?! _

_Be quiet, Crook. I'm trying to listen._

_Grrr..._

Then, the Skylanders broke away, facing Chester. He continued to clench his teeth, ''Hehehe...''

''Okay, Chester, we'll just drop these off, and be on our way.'' the robot, Magna Charge, spoke up. That had sounded oddly mechanic. He was indeed an Ultron, but that was too much.

But Chester didn't think about it for long, relieved that they would be leaving. ''Sounds like a plan, Skylander!''

The Skylander dropped the weird net thing, and then they left, somewhere, Chester hadn't particularly been paying attention. The net had all of his attention. It was filled with packages, and crates, and boxes, making Chester's eyes widen.

_Go to it..._

_W-what if it's-_

_A set-up? Don't make me laugh. Skylanders aren't bad guys, fool._

Chester couldn't contain himself, and he padded over to the Grappler. He tilted his head. The net was filled with boxes, crates, and packages, a lot of them. What was in them? He reached out his paws, but unfortunately, a tap on the shoulder had stopped him. Chester didn't dare to look back, until a menacing, deep growl made his ears flatten. Chester gradually swiveled his head, ''Nice kitty...''

''This kitty's got claws.'' Trap Shadow snarled. ''Big, pointy, claws...'' His voice was dark and deep, making the fox's legs tremble. Trap Shadow was even more terrifying up close.

''Oh dear...'' Chester gulped.

''Don't be scared, bandit. I can smell your fear...''

''Wait, that's _his_ fear?'' The Swampskunk had appeared, making Chester flinch. Two Skylanders? This was awful!

''Yes...'' Trap Shadow gritted his teeth.

''Oh, well, nevermind. The crowd's not here right?''

_What're doing? You have time to run!_

_I can't! I'm already frozen!_

_Uuughh...You useless wuss._

_Hey! That's not very-Ow ow ow!_

Trap Shadow had him by his scruff with his big, pointy claws. Chester was small and fragile, so it was easy for the feline to pick him up. Trap Shadow glared, ''You're not going anywhere, fox.''

He definitely wasn't going anywhere.

''Chester!'' a volley of surprised squawks split the air. Yes! The Sky Barons were going to save him! Trap Shadow raised a brow at all the enraged birds; they started to surround him.

''What're doing to him?!''

''Put him down!''

''Stop that!''

''No!''

Trap Shadow grimaced, ''Uhh...''

''You're not going to hurt him, are you? Don't hurt him!'' Bella exclaimed. Chester smiled; a brilliant idea had popped into his head. These birds were his only ticket out of here. Sky Barons were so dumb!

''Ohh...owww...Your claws, they're digging into my flesh! Owwww! I'm bleeding! It's awful! He's trying to kill me!'' Chester whined, receiving some gasps from the Sky Barons.

''It's not what it looks like. We're, um, just playing a game! Right, Stink Bomb?'' Trap Shadow hastily barged in. Much to his dismay, Stink Bomb had already disappeared. ''Great...'' And with that, Trap Shadow vanished, dragging Chester along with him, bolting.

Chester yelped; Trap Shadow's claws were indeed trying to dig into his flesh. But before he could say anything, a missile had been fired. It bulleted into them with an explosion. Trap Shadow tumbled, his grasp slipping, sending Chester reeling. The fox hadn't landed far away, paralyzed by the blast...or maybe out of fear.

''Boom Jet! What's wrong with you?!'' Trap Shadow snapped. He staggered up, looking as if he wanted brutally murder someone, his sleek fur scorched and rumpled.

Boom Jet and Blast Zone were hovering over the roof of a tainted house. Boom Jet smiled, ''Whoops.''

''You made me lose my kill!''

My kill? Chester was a kill?

''Sorry, I tried to stop him.'' Blast Zone responded. ''Well, uh, is he unconscious?'' he looked down at Chester, who had stiffened.

''Hey guy, are you dead?!'' Boom Jet shouted. Chester didn't respond, but he did loll his tongue out. Maybe if he pretended he was dead, the Skylanders would leave him alone.

Trap Shadow raised his snout and sniffed, ''He's not dead.'' The sabertooth stalked over to the fox, plucking the limp fox up. ''See?''

''I dunno, he looks a little...deceased. What d'you think, Blast?'' Boom Jet rubbed his chin.

''A tad bit. Just a teensy bit...''

Were they falling for it? Chester crossed his fingers. He propped his ears up, trying to listen some more. Trap Shadow shook him wildly, but Chester certainly wouldn't budge. But that was until Trap Shadow roared directly into his alert ears. Chester's eyes instantly opened and he dropped his act. His heart thumped against his chest. He panted, trying to catch his breath, but still absolutely terrified.

Trap Shadow smirked, ''He's fine.''

''Good!'' Boom Jet grinned.

''Now,'' Trap Shadow rumbled, ''what've you been up do?'' Chester clamped his teeth down again with the shake of his head. He wasn't going to say anything! This cat was going to kill him!

''Speak!'' Trap Shadow parted his jaws, deliberately showing his toothy weapons.

''O-okay! Okay! I work for The Cardmaster, and I'm here to destroy Windham, I-'' Chester blurted out. Trap Shadow released his grip. Chester fell down with a pitiful yip.

''Thanks for working with us.''

Chester wheezed, ''You're welcome...''

* * *

''It's too muddy here!''

The Cardmaster drew his ears back in irritation at a pitiful, whimpering Candy. She had been complaining when even they first set foot onto the Skyland. The Cardmaster had to clench his teeth to retain himself from strangling the Seapoodle. But, it was indeed muddy; The Cardmaster had felt as if he was treading in quicksand, his hindpaws sinking into the ground. They were at their _pit stop_, on their way to meet their_ friend_. That was all The Cardmaster had told the trio anyway. That and the surprise he stated to be having. Therefore, the Seapoodles wore red, animalistic masks and their cloaks, still unsure of what this 'surprise' was. The Cardmaster wasn't quite yet ready for the long travel to Cloudbreak. The Spellbook needed a replacement, and he knew just the right place to get one. Then again, he swore that he would rip the insides out of whoever had stole it. Their rest stop was rather gloomy, despite the fact that the sun was still shining. The lanky trees had shook at the lonesome cry of wind, the leaves spiraling down. Most of the trees didn't even have leaves. The dead ones just stood around, as if they were alive, waiting to snatch unsuspecting visitors up. The Cardmaster flicked his ears at noises that emitted from the Skyland. An orchestra of frogs had been heard in the distance, the pitter-patter of little rodents were heard sliding on the fallen leaves, and the hisses of snakes had been popping up now and then. The insects were quite a nuisance, buzzing and fluttering around the Seadogs. But it wasn't anything they weren't used to; irritating flies often made their way onto the Esper.

The Cardmaster twitched his ears. Then, there was a low mewling noise, almost descending into eerie yowls. The bushes rustled, making The Cardmaster tense up. Something was out there. He hadn't liked it one bit; it had reminded him of the horrors of his nightmare. For a moment, he had actually started to believe that there were Skylanders in the bushes. The things continued to shift and move, as if they were trying to be cautious. Realizing that they blown their cover, they started to mew to each other. After a few more long pauses, out of the shadows, sphinxes crawled. Unlike regular, vibrant sphinxes, these were melanistic. Melanistic sphinxes were quite rare. According to all the scrolls The Cardmaster had read, they were often considered bad luck. They were all curious, inching their way towards The Cardmaster. There had been no hostility in their glowing eyes. But, The Cardmaster did snarl a bit. He was never too fond of cats, and these particular types weren't appreciated. Those sphinxes had reminded him nothing more of Scratch, another one of those dreadful Skylanders. Luckily, these cats weren't _cowardly_ like her, and so they didn't wear any stupid masks. The winged cats all chattered amongst themselves, cocking their heads at the group. The Cardmaster had forgotten that they were capable of speech; that had made the experience only more worse.

''Where did you come from?''

''Why are you here?''

''Who are you?''

It was as if they only thing these weird cats could say were questions. Annoying, various questions that The Cardmaster didn't want to answer, that is. The Trio appeared to be having fun though, scooping the kittens up in their paws, cuddling them. The Cardmaster rolled his eyes, scoffing. A few had tried to investigate him for food, pawing at his legs. But he had shooed them off, grumpy as always.

''Travelers?'' A sinewy, male sphinx had lumbered forward, flicking his tail. His coat was a lot shinier than the others, it looking as if it had been glimmering in the moonlight. He plopped himself down, sprawling his front legs to stretch. He looked sophisticated and rather pleased with himself. His voice was like silk, as if he hadn't even been worried that there were pirates on their territory. ''What are you here for? And why have you brought so many clanmates?''

This one seemed quite reasonable to talk to, unlike the rest of the felines. The male licked his paw, brushing it through the fur on his face evenly. ''We don't get many visitors around here. This is all quite...thrilling. But, we will not allow you to steal our Master's belongings, no matter how nice it is to see new faces.''

''We're not here to pillage, hybrid. I've come only to visit a friend.'' The Cardmaster responded.

The refined cat rolled over onto his back, lazily. ''How can I trust you? You may just be lying through your teeth. Persuade me, Seadog.'' With a yawn, he rolled back onto his belly, rubbing his fur across the grass.

_Or I could just ignore you instead_, The Cardmaster scowled, clenching his fists. Persuade him? He didn't have to persuade an overgrown, flying furball. This sphinx didn't know who he was talking to. ''I have catnip.''

And with that response, the other sphinxes meowed up a storm. They were yowling excitedly, bounding towards the Seadog. The male smiled, ''Consider us all...Persuaded. I am Shadeskin, leader of this clan. You are?''

Shadeskin? What kind of foolish name was that? Sphinxes, The Cardmaster would never understand them. ''I am The Cardmaster. These are my..._friends._ We're here only to talk to Ail.''

Shadeskin wriggled his ears, intently. ''As in, Master Ail? Our benevolent master?'' He sat upright, leaning back onto his haunches like some sort of alert rodent.

''Correct.''

''...For... some reason that name sound's familiar.'' Poochie murmured. The Cardmaster raised a brow. The Trio and Ail had been separated for _way_ too long. But, frankly, it wasn't surprising that they hadn't even known their own-

''Any friend of the Master is a friend of ours.'' Shadeskin placed his paws back onto the ground, and dipped his head in a bow.

''Friends!'' The others followed his lead, though a little more clumsier. The Cardmaster snorted, but reluctantly dipped as well.

''Follow us, we shall show you the way.'' Shadeskin furled his wings. He turned to one of the sphinxes, ''Darkstep, just to be safe, bring up the rear. Our new friends will need some protect-''

''How do_ I_ know you're not lying?'' The Cardmaster questioned.

Shadeskin trotted towards The Cardmaster, graceful with every step. He sat and curled his feathery tail around his forepaws. ''I would never lie to a friend; none of us would.'' Shadeskin replied, before slinking back into the bushes, a clutter of his clanmates following him. The kittens leapt from the Trio's arms, mewling when they caught up to their mothers. Darkstep, a female sphinx, followed her orders. The Cardmaster hadn't liked Shadeskin's idea. For all he knew, this Darkstep character, could be a potential enemy, waiting to strike them. In fact, he thought that all of the sphinxes could be enemies. Unlike the others, Darkstep wore a mask, most to The Cardmaster's dismay. It was a dark tint of silver, and deep scratches had been etched into it. But besides that, she was just like all of the other sphinxes.

''Keep up with the group, travelers. Our master is not too far away. Quickly, quickly.'' Darkstep padded behind them, her tail waving in the air. The Cardmaster didn't understand why he had to listen to her rules, but he obeyed anyway, the Seapoodles as well. ''I am curious, travelers. You say you are here for a friend, and yet I've never heard Ail speak of you.''

''Ail was never keen on the idea of me stealing her things; she sent me away years ago.''

''Oooh, I see. You must be the one she calls backstabber. And pigheaded, and arrogant, and dastardly filth.''

The Cardmaster was shaken by the words at first. Ail never really liked him to begin with, even though The Cardmaster had been fond of her. He did have a habit for stealing her things, but that was only because her a lot of her collectibles were magic. Besides, The Cardmaster only thought that Ail was throwing her anger at him from frustration. Like himself, she too had been tortured by Skylanders, Hex especially. She was once a cheery, picturesque Seapoodle that went from town to town, spreading her delightful music. Men had feel in love with her, The Cardmaster included, and women wanted to be her. Ail's voice was amazing...And really, really dreamy. But she still was indeed a witch, and constantly brewed potions to span discord and devastation throughout Skylands. She didn't have a grudge, she didn't want revenge. Being evil was simply fun, that was a fact. She lured civilians into her cottage, intoxicating them, gagging them, poisoning them, or just knocking them out with whatever nearest to her. Once passed out, she would experiment, and experiment, and experiment. She never killed anyone, well, not on purpose anyway. She took their blood, teeth, and fur if they had any.

Ail thought of herself as a scientist. She made her own creations, and deliberately unleashed them out into the world. Whenever done with her test subjects, she would just cast a memory loss spell onto them, and threw them outside. Some eventually made their way back, while others had just disappeared without a trace. She had always liked nature, and collected specimens. Sometimes, she plucked various dead animals from the forests, and brought them back into her home. Taxidermy was just one of her many skills. But it wasn't normal taxidermy. She liked to mix-and-match the attributes of one animal, and attach them to another. Not surprisingly, she took a liking to retaining strange in containers, keeping them alive. Even then, she did dissect them when the time was right, and like always, kept their attributes for a later date. It was Ail who had introduced The Cardmaster to Snappers, since she had been breeding them as if they were just normal animals.

But then again, Ail's devastation came with a price.

Hex had ruined her entire life. She was given direct orders from Spyro: defeat Ail. But instead of just defeating her, Hex appeared to have other plans. She had virtually invaded Ail's cottage, taking her by complete surprise. That wasn't even fair! Ail, trying her best to fight, had actually fell back into one of her shelves, which contained a lot of vials and just happened to have a group of feral ravens stuffed together into a cage. Hex, thinking that she was finished for, had left the scene. Eventually, all of the collectibles had tumbled onto Ail, even the living creatures, and she had apparently morphed into a deformed, scraggly mess of black feathers and white fluff. Or just a really creepy, old, anthropomorphic raven. But one thing was for sure, Ail was definitely not a love interest anymore.

''Flattering.'' The Cardmaster smirked. That's what good a villain wanted to here, and The Cardmaster was no exception.

''I have never heard anyone take that as a compliment. You're a very strange Seadog. I wish to find more about you. You'd make a fine specimen for Master Ail.''

Eventually, after going past thick grasses and squelching earth, they made it to their destination. Shadeskin and his faction was already there. Some of the more lively sphinxes bounded around, the littlest ones wrestling with each other, while the majority of them were napping. A few had opened their eyes in interest at the arrival of their new friends, but quickly closed them, tiredly. Shadeskin had actually gotten up, though, beckoning his tail towards the gloomy, sketchy cabin in the midst of the clearing. Flat stones had led towards it. The dark sphinxes gave it an even more unsettling feeling, some of the awake cats falling behind to stare, their eyes locked onto the group. They were watching their every move. The Cardmaster gradually went onwards, Cookie and Poochie hesitant, while Candy hopped on the stones as if it was a silly game.

The Cardmaster and the Seapoodles now stood before the door. The captain reluctantly knocked, veering away just in case. The door hadn't opened like how he had expected it would. There wasn't any responses at all.

''Maybe...maybe she's not home.'' Cookie shrugged. The Cardmaster, with a scowl, kicked the door, it surprisingly slinging open.

''Oooh, ninjutsu!'' Poochie clapped her paws together.

''That wasn't ninjutsu.'' The Cardmaster groused, heading into the entrance. ''I just kicked a door.''

Cookie butted in, ''Ninja attack with surprise, they are masters of concealment. We weren't very stealthy, so, I wouldn't consider that ninjutsu. That could've been any type of martial arts. It looked more like Kung Fu...or karate...or Taekwondo.'' The Cardmaster bared his teeth. Cookie was starting to get so full of herself. She was the smartest out of the trio, and The Cardmaster hadn't been fond of that. She would always try to correct him whenever he was discussing plans, and her sisters would follow her lead, but even they had no idea about what she was saying.

Cobwebs dangled down from the ceiling, some getting clung to The Cardmaster's fur. He grumbled, shaking himself off in agitation. Ail was never very tidy, so it hadn't come off as a surprise to him. It was rather frigid here; a draft had been billowing through. With a sigh, he plodded. The bookcases had been organized in a 'U' formation. A cauldron bubbled in the center. Papers were all over the floor, crunching beneath his feet. He started to observe the shelves; they had sported various items. A canister wobbled at the wind, a potent, metallic stench coming from it. He had already knew what it was from the scent, but the crimson fingerprints on its surface had sealed the deal. A transparent cylinder of diverse teeth had been placed next to it, yellow, white, some still even red. Bleached skulls spread on the shelf; he'd recognized some of them as Mabu. But, one of the more odd collectibles was a titchy toad's head stitched to a bird's body. Its wings had been snapped off, so a Sugarbat's wings had taken their places. A lizard's tail had been pasted onto where its tailfeathers were supposed to be. Dragonet spikes were placed across its back, little horns on the sides of its head as well. The toad's mouth was forced open, Chompy teeth filling in its gums. The Cardmaster knew Ail had always been into taxidermy, but the Seadog had never seen Ail's creepy chimeras before. He began to get wary of it; the creature looked as if it could somehow come back to life, hiss at him, and maul him.

The Cardmaster didn't want to stare at it hideous appearance any longer. Taking his eyes off of the creature, he looked towards something that sent shivers down his spine. A jar of liquid had contained a fleshy, Seadog fetus. It was dead, of course, but it still gave him an uneasy feeling. His hackles prickled. His paws had been drenched in blood before and yet this was the one thing that had made him cringe. How'd Ail even get that?!

That was enough sightseeing for him.

A hint of queasiness still hadn't left him, but it wasn't because of the undeveloped Seapup. It was because someone was watching him. He turned his head ever so slightly and stared right in the direction of their objective. Her feathers were bristled, matted and sent into wild directions. A few specks of white was smudged onto them, giving her the look of a reversed Dalmatian with little to none spots. Ail's beak was chipped, some incisions buried in it, her tongue lolling from it. Bulging, inflamed, pink tissue resided around her eyes. Unsightly scabs rested beneath them. Her eyes themselves were orange with scarlet irises, looking rather bloodshot and ill. A purple and black robe covered the rest of her body, it laced up with frail strings in the front. All of that aside, The Cardmaster was only staring at the deadly, thick cleaver in her abnormal, blistered talons. She raised it up to The Cardmaster's throat. Ail parted her beak with a guttural, low rasp.

''Ail, such a pleasure to see you again. _Beautiful_ as always.'' The Cardmaster mustered a smile. Ail hadn't been fazed. The cleaver's side was now touching his throat. One wrong word, and he'd be done for. A slice to the throat wasn't pretty; he knew that from wielding the weapon against his own enemies. He decided to keep his mouth shut. From past experiences, The Cardmaster learned that Ail was extremely difficult to talk to.

''Cardmaster...'' Ail seethed icily. Her tongue flapped, it struggling to lick the rim of her beak. It sounded stupid and pathetic, but Ail actually made it look threatening. She cooed, quite happily, much to The Cardmaster's surprise. But she still kept the cleaver close, putting a little more pressure in it. She smirked, ''What's wrong? Cat got your tongue? Oh, did they really? I'll have to ask them for it later!'' Her laugh was crooked, like the sound of insanity itself. Finally, she took the cleaver away. Ail gazed at the furs on the blade. ''Oooo, I could make a sibling for you! Or your own child? Doesn't matter! It'd be a clone anyway!'' she cackled again.

Abruptly, she stopped.

''Speaking of which, where are my children? You better not have them as prisoners! My babies deserve better than that! Those pups aren't your slaves!'' the old witch continued to rant, clacking her beak at The Cardmaster and hissing. The Cardmaster beckoned to the Seapoodles behind them. They had been too busy admiring the shelves, cocking their heads. The Cardmaster cleared his throat, causing them to snap their attention towards him.

''Masks?'' Poochie whispered.

''Masks.'' The Cardmaster nodded.

They did as followed. Ail shrieked in delight and spread her arms out, flinging the cleaver into a bookcase, ''My precious, little darlings! Mommy's here!'' The Trio whined joyously, scampering over to her. They clutched on tight, hugging her, their tails waggling rapidly. The Cardmaster wrinkled his snout. Ail was a happy mother of three. Before her incident, she was married to a wealthy, pirate captain. Unfortunately, her husband and his entire crew had been devoured by a huge whale, which wasn't very uncommon for the fate of most pirates. To The Cardmaster, it was just another reason to be cautious towards Thumpback, another vile Skylander.

''Ahem...'' The Cardmaster decided to interrupt. The family swiveled their heads, turning to the Seadog.

Ail grumbled, ''Oh right...'' She gently shouldered through, scowling at The Cardmaster. As she moved, her bones creaked, quite loudly. ''Thanks.''

''You're very welcome. But I didn't come here to visit a fancy reunion.''

Ail perked up, squawking softly. ''You've come to buy something?''

''Cards wants a new Spellbook, he thinks you can help 'em!'' Poochie yapped.

''Hmmm, is that so?'' Ail leered. She narrowed her eyes, making The Cardmaster feel a little disturbed. ''You're that desperate?''

''I never said anything about...buying. I would never waste good treasure on your old things.'' The Cardmaster said. Ail clacked her beak at the response, nipping the air. The Cardmaster's fur stood on end. What'd he just say?

Ail heaved a sigh. ''Well, I suppose I do owe you. You did bring my _wittle_ lovelies back. But you're still an enemy, remember that.''

''I never forget.''

Ail gave him one last glare before hoppling over to a bookcase, mumbling to herself.

''That's a pretty book! It's really, really, really shiny...'' Poochie pointed out.

''Hm? Oh, why yes, it is shiny, sweetheart.'' Ail remarked. She grabbed the 'shiny' book, turning around. Ail blew onto it, coughing at the slight puffs of dust. She looked up at The Cardmaster, simpering. ''You're going to like this one.'' She handed it to him, surprisingly graciously. The Cardmaster tilted his head. The book was worn out, like his old Spellbook, but its cover was embellished. Patterns were across it, giving it a more fancy look. Finally, The Cardmaster's eyes set onto the glowing, maroon orb sunk into the center of it. It was glimmering, like a stunning crystal, but a slit pupil had clearly been seen in it. It seemingly stared into The Cardmaster's soul, making his muscles tighten up. But he was in awe at the same time.

''So?'' Ail asked with a snicker.

''I'll take it, Ail.''

* * *

_Ooo, guesss whosssse sssscary-wary voice that belongsss to!_


	10. Preparations

Oooh, Trek's in a community...

* * *

Night fell over the Esper. The vessel was still on its voyage to the Cloudbreak Islands, and The Cardmaster was making the most of it. With everyone else tucked in their dormitories, or at least he thought so, he was able to practice. His new Spellbook was even more than he had imagined. In fact, he thought it was thousand times better than Eon's old, bedraggled book. _And he called that thing a Spellbook! Hah! _The Cardmaster thought. Perhaps Ail wasn't as bad as she used to be. But, he still knew that she'd have his hide any day. That is, if The Cardmaster hadn't grown strong and powerful by then! That was exactly what he was aiming at; proving everyone wrong was high on his mental to-do list. He studied a page eagerly, and started to chant silently to himself. This had been all he was doing for the past, countless hours. It wasn't for nothing, that was certain, he knew his power was increasing...He believed his power was increasing. The only way to find out was to test it out on a living creature. He just didn't have time to. Besides, his crew couldn't decrease. After the fight with the Squidface, a bunch of Seadogs had joined The Cardmaster's crew. It still wasn't exactly an army, but he decided that it'll have to do at the time.

His ears pricked at the noise of his door opening. He promptly growled, not even glancing at his guests. ''What?! What d'you want?!''

One of the Seadogs spoke up first, ''Er, sir, this weird cat thing says that he's lookin' for ya. He wants to talk.''

''I'm a fox! You bloomin' nitwits!'' A voice shrieked, shrill with deep hatred.

''Crook.'' The Cardmaster smirked.

''He's been yapping at us, cap'n. Somethin' about robots, and big sabertooth creatures, and birdies, and golems, and-'' the second Seadog said.

''What're you waiting for? Bring the fox in.'' The Cardmaster cut in. His patience was running thin already, real quick. The two Seadogs exchanged hesitant looks, but they soon stepped out of the away. Ropes were wrapped around Crook's torso and arms, it drooping at his pants. His fur was singed, hairs sticking up rather comically with ash. Some of his fur was entirely missing, scratches running up and down his pelt. Dried blood bordered around his nostrils. Electricity visibly sparked on his fur and he quivered wildly at its shocking touch. Frost was on the bridge of his snout. His right eye was bruised badly. The fox's tail was matted, it falling flat. Not to mention, he smelt absolutely vile, so much that his clothes and some of his fluff was green.

''Skylanders?'' The Cardmaster stifled a hearty chuckle, grinning at Crook's misfortunate.

''Skylanders.'' Crook twitched.

''Hahahah! Lemme guess, lemme guess...You were scorched by Blast Zone, Night Shift gave you that blackeye, Trap Shadow clawed you up a bit, the chicken shocked ya...no...uh...Magna Charge shocked you, you were frozen by Freeze Blade, your tail was crushed by Rubble Rouser, and you were sprayed by the skunk! _Accidently_ sprayed, right? Heheh...''

Crook shuddered. ''Uggh, don't remind me. And no, at the end, I was tackled by all of them...''

''Dreadful, isn't it?''

''Worse than dreadful. I'm glad _you_ understand.'' Crook cast a scornful look at the two Seadogs who hadn't left.

The Cardmaster beckoned to them, pointing, ''Out. This is a private conversation.'' Without a word, they scattered. The Cardmaster smiled. Was he that scary? Just because he chopped a Squidface's hand off? The Cardmaster hadn't really cared what they were scared for, just as long as they were afraid, he was happy. He looked back down at the shivering fox. ''This is all fine and dandy, considering that I wasn't in your position, but...doesn't this mean you didn't fulfill your mission? That you ignored your orders? You disobeyed me?''

Crook flinched. ''Trust me, I-I damaged Windham-''

''But you did not destroy it.'' The Cardmaster spat. He flicked his paw towards the door, slamming it with nothing but magic. Crook jittered, and The Cardmaster was unsure if that was because he was terrified, or still he was still being electrified. It could've been even both. The Cardmaster furrowed his brows at Crook, who fiddling nervously with his paws.

''I tried my best, Cardmaster! It was those Skylanders! They ruined it all!''

''Yes, they do indeed ruin everything...'' The Cardmaster nodded.

''So you're...not mad?'' Crook asked.

The Cardmaster simpered, ''Who ever said I wasn't mad? I certainly didn't.'' And with that, he lifted Crook into the air. ''But, that doesn't mean I'm not going to enjoy this.''

''What?!'' Crook yelped. His voice had changed, the real him, Chester, peeking through.

The Cardmaster's eyes turned pure white, his irises and pupils vanishing completely. A purplish aura surrounded them. The Cardmaster squeezed the air with his claw, and so Chester began to choke. Particles of magic snaked up to the fox's neck, circling around it, before lunging around his throat, coiling tightly. The Cardmaster inhaled and exhaled, enjoying every second of Chester's misery. The fox's mouth started to foam. The bubbling sludge poured like a wild river. The Cardmaster tightened his grip and lifted him higher. He flicked his ears, listening to the painful, raspy shrieks that emerged from Chester. The Cardmaster curled his lip in a odd smile. He wanted to hear the snapping crackle of bones, the crunch of his victim's measly neck, and the heavy thud of his limp body. But of course, Chester had fainted before all of the fun could happen. The Cardmaster snorted, throwing Chester onto the floor, veering his head away. ''Now, I am glad.''

Chester hadn't really cared. He gasped, all of his paws placed onto the ground, and he proceeded to cough up the foam that rose in his throat. The Cardmaster's eyes shifted back to normal. There hadn't been the slightest bit of joy on his face, not even a devious, little curve of his muzzle. Chester sputtered. He couldn't form any words, his mouth numb, still uncontrollably spewing out reddish froth.

''I am your leader. I am your captain. You will obey my orders. The abomination you call a life depends on it.''

Chester panted rapidly, but managed to faintly nod.

''Obey me!''

Chester hacked, ''I...will...bey...''

''**OBEY!**''

''I will...bey..'' Chester rasped.

''Close enough. Now get out of my sight, fox. I'll assign your punishments later.''

* * *

Fire Kraken could just burst with excitement, no, explode with excitement! He'd gone around waking his teammates up with a rusty frying pan and a wooden spoon. Or least he tried to wake them up; some of them were really, really heavy sleepers. Well, a large majority of them were really, really heavy sleepers. Fire Kraken was the first one up though, and his happiness was the only alarm for him. Everyone else was still asleep, much to his dismay. He wanted to get trekking!

He was busy poking Rattle Shake, who was slumbering on a rock. He was sprawled, relaxing with his hat on his face. Unlike most Undead skylanders, he liked the light. He loved how to sun rays would hit his scaly skin. It was so comfortable. Everyone had been so busy lately. At the moment, Spyro had been stressed out about Flashwing and Whirlwind. They seemed perfectly normal, just very tired as always. Rattle Shake, however, was trying to indulge every second of his sunbathing time. But now, he was constantly being interrupted.

''Boop!'' Fire Kraken prodded the snake's shoulder, still unsure if he was awake. Rattle Shake's tail writhed at his touch.

''Rise and shine!'' Fire Kraken exclaimed. Rattle Shake's tailtip promptly shook in dismay with its infamous rattle.

''Come on, Shake, it's gonna be fun! Fun, fun, fun!'' Fire Kraken responded. Rattle Shake heaved an exasperated sigh, flickering his tongue out in a soft hiss.

''Don't you_ sssss_ me!'' Fire Kraken stuck his tongue out, hissing the best he could muster. ''It's time to get trekkin'!'' the dragon span his sparkler staff, excitedly.

''It's too early.'' Rattle Shake bluntly replied.

''It's never too early to go on an adventure.'' Fire Kraken stated.

''Well, an adventurer can't go out tired...Besides, we haven't even eaten yet.''

Fire Kraken blinked at the snake's words. He did have a point. Or maybe that was just what he wanted to make the dragon believe! But before Fire Kraken could protest, Rattle Shake abruptly jolted up, his hat falling onto the grass. He slid his tongue out, letting the crisp air touch it delicately.

Fire Kraken swiveled his head, warily. ''What's wrong? Is it pirates? Or gnorcs? Or-'' he asked.

''Whiskers.''

Fire Kraken, bemused, followed his gaze. A giant, orange bird was definitely flying towards them. He landed with a squawk. ''Whiskers!'' Fire Kraken grinned, his tail swishing to and fro happily. He promptly ran over to the great bird. Whiskers dipped his head, letting the dragon nuzzle his beak. Fire Kraken laughed, ''I missed you too, big guy!''

Rattle Shake slithered up. He got his turn to stroke Whiskers as well. But then looked at the bird's back. ''You came alone? No Tessa?'' There was no rider, no fox-girl. Whiskers shook his head in response with a sharp chirp.

''That's weird.'' Rattle Shake commented.

''Is there something wrong with Tessa? What happened to her? Where is she?!'' Fire Kraken blurted out.

Whiskers shook his head.

''Oh...But still, where is she? You two are almost always together!'' Fire Kraken inquired. Whiskers parted his beak and a scroll fell from inside his mouth. Rattle Shake caught it, as if it was on instinct. Whiskers trilled, puffing his feathers out. He nodded towards the unscathed scroll in Rattle Shake's grasp.

''Open it! Open it!'' Fire Kraken smiled. Rattle Shake unraveled the scroll. Writings lay on its surface, but Fire Kraken can only simply skimmed through it. He gasped at the signature. ''Tessa!''

''Dear Skylanders, it's hard work being Chief-''

''No, you've got to read it like her.''

Rattle Shake ignored him and continued, ''It's hard work being the Chieftess of Woodburrow. Leadership, planning, giving out orders, peace treaties...But, the worse thing about being Chieftess, is all the baddies that try to target me. There's been pirate sightings all over Cloudbreak. And I know how much you Skylanders like to beat up pirates. That's where you guys step in! Your dragon friend told me that the Swappers are supposed to be taking a trek. Then this is the perfect opportunity! There's a map of the creep sightings in Cloudbreak on the back; I hope you remember your own home if you lose it though...And knowing Wash Buckler, you probably will...You're always welcome at Woodburrow, Skylanders. Good luck!''

Whiskers then gently pecked at the scroll. Rattle Shake flipped it over. ''Wow.'' There had been a lot of red circles around various villages and towns and even whole lands. Fire Kraken was indeed boggled. He knew that the Cloudbreak Islands was huge place, but frankly, he didn't know most of the places listed! Before they could ask Whiskers about anything, the giant bird flapped away, big feathers the only traces of him.

''Whiskers! Come back! I didn't even get to say goodbye!'' Fire Kraken shouted, but Whiskers was already too far away. The dragon sighed, his bouncy tail drooping. Although, in mere moments, he perked back up. ''Well, that's that. Trekkin' time!'' He threw his staff into the air and caught it in his vast maw, toothily smirking.

Meanwhile, Spyro was pacing, rather worriedly. He hadn't slept, too stressed out about the Skylanders's new mysteries, Flashwing and Whirlwind. Spyro's mind had been cluttered with questions to ask, and Voodood hadn't answered any of them. But they were both thinking the same thing. There was definitely something wrong with the two dragonesses. Spyro and Voodood thought that they might have been cursed, or but under some dangerous, dark spell. Unfortunately, some other Skylanders didn't think that way. A few of his comrades had simply believed that they were just ill or something. Spyro had to talk to someone; someone that could relate to being pressured by the Darkness. Unfortunately, Wash Buckler and Blast Zone had been trying to get ready for the trek and were attempting contact Tessa at the same time. And Stealth Elf was off doing something 'really important', most likely training with Stink Bomb before he sets off. So, Spyro was left with only one choice.

Slobber Tooth.

''What do you think's wrong with-'' Spyro began. Slobber Tooth was chasing after a vibrant butterfly. He snapped his jaws, but only got a helping of the air. Spyro watched him, blinking in disbelief. The butterfly landing squarely on Slobber Tooth's snout, making him drool intensely. He snuffled, plopping himself down, and waited for the right time to bite.

''Uh, Slobber Tooth...''

The voracious Skylander darted his eyes to Spyro, but still kept his posture. Much to his dismay, the butterfly flew off, and he chuffed. But before he could waddle after it, Spyro interrupted. ''Are you even listening to me?''

Slobber Tooth licked inside of his nostrils absentmindedly, eliciting a grimace from Spyro. ''Whut?'' the Earth Skylander slapped his tongue around his mouth for a bit.

''Nothing.'' Spyro replied. He heaved a sigh. Was Slobber Tooth even paying attention? This was serious! ''I don't know why...but..'' Spyro drawled.

''You think they're goin' dark?'' Slobber Tooth quizzically tipped his head.

''Y-y-yeah...'' Spyro couldn't believe it. ''How did you know that?''

''I dunno. Just had a hunch. I was thinkin' the same thing, anyway.'' Slobber Tooth shrugged, lapping up the long line of saliva that hung from his jaws. What a relief...Perhaps Spyro wasn't going crazy after all. Maybe. Slobber Tooth hungrily gnawed on his own leg, but didn't cause any harm to it.

''What do you think I should do?'' Spyro questioned.

Slobber Tooth noisily pulled his leg from out of his mouth. ''Use your head!''

''I don't think ramming into Whirl and Flash will help.''

''No, use your brain! You'll come up with somethin'.'' Slobber Tooth then thumped his tail onto the earth, rapidly. ''Ooh, I've got an idea right now!''

''What?! What is it?!'' Spyro perked up.

''You can talk to Cynder!''

Spyro froze at the name. ''I'm not sure if I like this idea...''

Slobber Tooth playfully headbutted Spyro. ''Oh, c'mon, it'll be great! I'll go with you! Er...Spyro?''

The purple dragon had been sent back a few steps, sprawled out in an uncomfortable position, ''Ow...'' _Well, this day is already going swell, _he thought.

* * *

Tangleroot, a Skyland in Cloudbreak of unique and dangerous wildlife. Various creatures lurked there, and although fierce and feral, they all cowered at the sight of the hunter. Where ever his territories were, the animals knew to stay away. And the hunter wasn't so far away. Jabb was doing his daily rounds in Tangleroot, prowling like a true predator. He was a cheetah, and a very clever one at that. A red bandana was squarely across his muzzle, it sinking in with his quiet breaths. He wore a leathery vest, dark pants, and a belt decked out with various daggers, knives, and hooks. Gloves covered his paws, but his sharp nails had still peeked through. The left side of his snout had full whiskers, while the other side's whiskers were twisted, some even cut.

His weapon of choice was the rapier. The pointy sword had proven itself worthy of his usage; it was perfect for jabbing, which he happened to be quite skilled at. But jabbing wasn't all that he was great at. He happened to think that he was rather multitalented. Trapping and swashbuckling at the same time was definitely his own personal skill. That was almost impossible to do...right?

Jabb used to live in a large gang of amazing hunters. According to the scrolls, most hunters lived in tribes or clans with colored bandanas to differentiate the levels of stealth. Green was certainly the highest, and red...was the lowest.

''Stupid tribe, didn't even like 'em anyway...'' Jabb mumbled. The grasses in Tangleroot were tall, very tall. Jabb had to slice through them with his daggers, hissing. It as if everyday the grass grew and grew like wild. For Jabb, everyday was an adventure. Tangleroot was filled with surprises. Jabb was now just starting to get used to it. He halted. Jabb grasped his rapier tighter, narrowing his eyes. There was game here.

Abruptly, a Slobbering Mutticus slapped him with its huge claw. Jabb reeled back and hit a tree, some leaves fluttering down onto his face at the great impact. Jabb shook his head, still dazed from the attack. He blinked a few times, focusing on the beast that started to lumber towards him. Even though this was Cloudbreak, and Mutticus were't native, they were still bred by the invading Cyclopes that often scrambled around in search of new areas to dominate. The Mutticus loomed over the cheetah, but Jabb was fast to react. He swiftly attempted to push a dagger into the beast's chest, but tough Mutticus hide had ruined its puncture. But it did get stuck, so Jabb was slowly making progress. The Mutticus rose onto its legs with a screech, stumbling back in dismay. Jabb, now dangling from only the stuck dagger, swung himself onto the Mutticus's side, hanging on. The Slobbering Mutticus shook, bucking and dashing around, rotating like wild. Jabb had nearly fallen off, but luckily, he had sunk his claws into its skin. He briefly lunged, landing perfectly on the Mutticus's back, crouching.

This was his favorite part.

He whooped heartily, grabbing onto the fleshy, fatty rolls on the beast's neck. Jabb slashed the Mutticus, and it reared up again, kicking its forelegs before speeding off. Jabb, being a cheetah, was pretty fast himself, but this was definitely a lot more fun. Wrangling creatures and rodeo were just some of his talents. Jabb grappled the nearest vine, yanking it off a tree, taking the branch with it. Jabb smacked the Mutticus, and it sped up, earning some more joyous exclaims from Jabb. But all good things had to come to an end, right? It was time to wrangle. He grabbed another dagger from his belt, fastening it on the branch's tip with some string from his handy-dandy belt. ''Sorry 'bout this, lass! Or, you know, whatevah you are...'' Jabb then raised his new, homemade weapon and slammed it down, it surprisingly going into the Mutticus's flesh. It squealed, some spurts of blood jetting from the wound.

''You're gonna be just fine, Muttsy!'' Jabb grasped the vine and clambered down the torso, swinging under its belly. He latched onto the other side, hurriedly getting up. He pulled tight, the vine wrapping around the Mutticus's stomach. ''Ooh, tough cookie...You _are_ a lass! Heh, never would've thought that. Good girl!'' Jabb patted her with a foot since he didn't have any free paws. Jabb dove down again with the vine in his maw, jumping onto one of the fast forelegs. He took the vine out of his mouth and coiled it around the female's leg. ''Bunny ears, and...'' Jabb's nimble claws tied a thick knot in only seconds. ''Jump!'' he launched himself over to the next leg. The cheetah, even quicker than before, finished the other knot as well. With an excited blare, the cheetah landed back onto the Mutticus, perfectly. The Mutticus started to slow a bit, for its legs had been all tangled up.

''Let's finish this up, shall we?'' Jabb snickered. But he then found himself in a muddle. The vine wasn't long enough for the hindlegs. He stared at it. ''Well, that's no fun...'' He frowned, his bandana shifting at his depression. ''Maybe I could-**UMPF!**''

Jabb didn't even know what had hit him at first. He swayed from a hefty branch. His tongue lolled from his jaws, oddly. ''Oh, okay, I see how it is! 'Effing, blasted-'' he was cut off again, his paws slipped, and he fell. ''Ow...'' he muttered, rubbing his head. The Mutticus was getting away, hoppling away. With a groan, Jabb sat upright. Birds circled around his head, quite literally, and he tried to snatch a few. But the birds fluttered off, in the same direction of the Mutticus.

''How helpful! 'Tis such a pleasure that you've come to lead the way to me ol' Muttsy.'' Jabb jolted up at the sight, promptly following the 'helpful' birds. Although, these birds had led him to something else, something else important. Jabb sniffed, his nose twitching intently. His house, which was nothing more but sticks and twigs expertly crafted by Jabb himself, was being raided. He flicked his ears, listening to the clamor inside. Thieves were taking his stuff!

Jabb immediately barged in, pushing past the long leaves that drooped down from the entrance, with a growl. Three cloaked bandits, all wearing mysterious, smiling masks to cover the rest of their appearance, had been rummaging through his items; the very, very valuable items especially. Jabb cleared his throat, instantly getting their attention. The cheetah drew out his rapier, which had been put away during his skirmish with the beast, and pointed it towards all of them. ''I don't think those belong to you.'' his voice shifted, now making him sound like an actual threat. The three didn't say a word.

''Pass over the gold and no one gets hurt.'' Jabb thrust his sword. Cookie started to step forward, but Poochie stopped her. Cookie softly whimpered in befuddlement. They spoke in whispers.

''La bombe.'' Poochie ordered.

''Are you sure? It's still a proto-''

''La. Bombe.''

That must've been a signal of some sort, because Cookie gradually pulled out a round, glass orb out of her cloak. Pink liquid swished inside of it and a potent fragrance ebbed from it. A mechanical block was taped onto the it, wires poking out of the object. The Seapoodle pushed onto the block, making it set off a series of quiet beeps. Jabb squinted his eyes. What was that? Cookie gently rolled the sphere, it halting at Jabb's feet. The cheetah cocked his head to a side, before it abruptly exploded, polluting the entire hut with perfume. Jabb, fortuanately, had closed his eyes, but that didn't help the scent from seeping under his bandana. He coughed harshly. Opening his eyes in such a mess wasn't the greatest idea, so he was practically a sitting, blind duck for Poochie, Cookie, and Candy.

And they had taken advangtage of that.

While Cookie and Candy hastily scooped up riches and stuffed them into sacks, Poochie cornered him. Jabb couldn't get away, not now at least. But before he could think of any plans, the Seapoodle fluttered her long lashes at him. ''I'm a thief...and I'm here to steal your heart.'' she put a paw on the side of his face, flirtatiously smirking.

''Uhm...what?'' Jabb asked.

Poochie only responded by slowly moving her paws down onto his chest. She glanced up at him, scooching closer. Jabb was trying to dart his pupils away, looking at the two that were gathering his treasure, but the Seapoodle pushed his head towards her. And in that split second of eye contant, Jabb was in a trance. The Seadog's eyes were large and wide, glimmering in a dreamy fashion. ''I like your spots.''

Jabb blinked, ''T-thanks...''

''Cutie.'' The Seapoodle cooed, grabbing Jabb's chin, pulling him forward. The cheetah's muscles relaxed unwillingly and he started to slur, absolutely mesmerized. A gentle purr arose in his throat. leaned in, gracefully took off Jabb's bandana, and released it onto the floor. Poochie pressed her muzzle against his. ''I think I'm going to call you...Kitty.'' she whispered.

''Kitty...'' Jabb echoed.

The she-beard giggled, like a little school girl. But instead of getting a kiss, Jabb had gotten a brisk thwack on the nose. He promptly snapped back to his senses, baring his teeth. ''Hey!'' The distraction had surely fooled him, the cheetah scowling as the Seapoodles fled with the riches. The little one stayed behind at the entrance, proceeding to mock him. She stuck her tongue out, before dashing off. The clanking of gold made Jabb's ear twitch. The noises ran off into the distance. Jabb, after wrapping his bandana back around his snout, tried to pursue them. But he had only ran into another bird instead, for the Seadogs had simply vanished. ''What?!'' he grabbed it, shaking it vigorously. The bird cheeped in fear, its eyes nearly bulging out of its head.

''What?''

The bird chirped.

''You know where they're going?''

The bird chirped.

''They've got a ship?! Called the Esper?'' Jabb exclaimed. He grinned, ''You're brilliant, little bird! Brilliant!'' The cheetah continued to squeeze the bird, excited. Jabb already knew where he was headed next. It was time for revenge.

* * *

Daylight. It had surrounded Whirlwind and Flashwing. They had been high up in the soft, cottony clouds that felt amazing beneath their talons. The sun shone through, it lovingly warming their bodies.

Oh, this was a dream, of course. A nice, happy dream.

''Isn't this nice, Flash?'' Whirlwind asked, getting rather comfy in a plumb cloud.

''Yeah...it is.'' Flashwing nodded. But she had been still been wary. They did indeed have the same exact dreams and nightmares for some reason now. Back in Skylands, they were being tended to by Voodood and Double Trouble, who believed that they might have been cursed by something.

Whirlwind smiled, nestling into her cloud, radiating some light from her horn in happiness. But her sleep inside her own slumber had been interrupted by a beautiful, melodic tune. Someone was singing in the distance. Whirlwind pricked her ears up. There was a dragon-like figure from a far, Whirlwind could just barely make out its outline. Flashwing had her head raised also.

''Flashwing, do you see that? Did you hear that?''

The gem dragoness nodded. She got up, immediately lowering her body, her tail charging up.

Whirlwind giggled, ''Oh, calm down. Don't go firing any crystals just yet. We don't know if that's a threat or not.''

''You should always be prepared.''

Whirlwind turned back to the figure, which was slowing revealing itself. It was a dragoness, her blue scales shimmered, flashing like diamonds. Her snout was petite and beaked, curved downwards fancily. It had looked as if little stars had been embellished in her wings, giving her an even brighter shine. Her head was crested with glimmering, lavender horns. Her chest and underbelly were a light sea foam. Dark, turquoise stripes etched her neck, some bordering around her eyes in a 'C' shape. A tribal-like marking was on her forehead; it had looked painted, but it was simply apart of her striking looks. She looked at the Skylanders and smiled, before flicking her tail, turning around and padding forward. The dragoness started to hum.

''Is she asking us to follow her?'' Flashwing asked, tilting her head.

''I-I think so...'' Whirlwind replied. The glowing dragoness glanced back once more, but continued onwards with a slight skip in her step. Flashwing and Whirlwind stared at each other, reluctantly shifting their claws. Could they trust a random dragon? A random dragon in a dream? Whirlwind shrugged lightly and began after the mystical dragon.

Flashwing sputtered in bewilderment, ''We're actually going to follow her?''

''It's just a dream. A good dream. Nothing can go wrong in a good dream.''

''You sound too confident about that.'' Flashwing remarked. ''But, since there's really nothing else to do here, I guess I'll tag along.'' Flashwing trotted after Whirlwind. Eventually, they had joined the dragoness, walking beside her.

''Oh, hello...'' the majestic dragon beamed. ''I am glad you decided to travel with me. My people need your help.''

''Well, we're good at saving people.'' Whirlwind laughed.

''I know...We know much about you, but there is little time to talk. I am Amethyst, and you are Whirlwind and your friend is Flashwing.''

''How'd y-''

''Little talk, little talk.'' Amethyst reminded. ''I will lead you to my home.'' She halted, ''Get ready...''

''For what?'' Whirlwind questioned, but she didn't have anytime to respond, for she had sank into the clouds.

They were all plummeting.

Flashwing was screaming, flailing her legs desperately. ''I can't fly!'' she bellowed with a high-pitched shriek. The gem dragoness always sounded squeaky when in fright. She certainly couldn't fly. Those crystals on her wings might have looked light, but they were the exact opposite. She could only glide and that was only if she was jumping off something with great height. And she wasn't very great at gliding either.

But Amethyst, however, was whooping in pure delight. ''You don't have to!'' she responded, uttering a loud_ woohoo_. Whirlwind, relaxing, following her with cheers. Flashwing continued to wail, ''I'm gonna dieeee!'' The sky around them darkened. The clouds turned an ominous, smoky gray. The brilliant sun transformed into a black orb. And then all of the sky disappeared into complete darkness.

They were falling down into complete darkness.

With a piercingly high squeal of the air, they dropped down into what looked as a totally different world. Surprisingly, they all landed on their feet, unharmed. Flashwing was still shaking. ''Is it over?''

Amethyst chuckled. The land around them was barren. Dust soared, making Whirlwind wince in an inept attempt to protect her eyes. Amethyst wasn't daunted by the sand and dirt that darted towards her eyes. Jagged rocks poked out from the dry earth; they looked like sharp claws. The sky was reddish and tangerine, as if wispy fires had been caught in it. Amethyst turned to Whirlwind. ''My home isn't far from here. We should get there in no time.'' She then bounded, laughing like usual.

''W-wait up!'' Flashwing exclaimed, for Whirlwind was starting after Amethyst. They eventually came across a humongous, gaping quarry...where dragons roamed. The dragons were all different, big and small, just like Whirlwind's past dream. But they weren't dim at all. Multiple tunnels were constructed in the walls around the bowl, leading into the clearing. The same jagged rocks resided around the hole, but the entrance had lower, smaller rubble.

''Woah...'' Whirlwind gawked. ''What is this place?''

''Home sweet home, of course. We call it The Pit!'' Amethyst cheerily replied. ''You'll get used to it. I'm sure you will.'' She dived down into the quarry. The dragoness slid down onto a serrated slope, entering the clearing with a proud chuff. She gazed up at the Skylanders, who were utterly shocked. ''Aren't you coming?''

''Uhm...'' Whirlwind murmured.

''It's safe! I promise!''

Flashwing grimaced at Whirlwind. ''I don't like that look.''

''Well, what else can we do?''

Flashwing opened her mouth to say something, but closed it in defeat. Whirlwind nudged Flashwing, before sliding down. It was actually quite harder than what Amethyst had made it look, the slope was bumpy, and Whirlwind constantly felt her claws getting agitated by its surface. She limped next to Amethyst, and Flashwing finally built up enough courage, doing the same as Whirlwind.

''Great!'' Amethyst gleamed. She began to turn away. ''Now, let's-'' Amethyst stopped. There was a dragon in front of them. He was massive, his muscles rippling with pulsing strength. His body was clad in golden, shiny armor. But his fiery, red skin still shown through some gaps. He stretched out his wings, menacing at the group of dragons. Whirlwind tensed up. This dragon didn't seem very...friendly.

''Pyralis.'' Amethyst dipped her head.

''Amethyst.'' Pyralis grumbled. He glanced down at Flashwing and Whirlwind. Some smoke rose from his nostrils. ''You've brought new arrivals, I see.''

''Yes, yes.''

Pyralis curled his lips, showing his large teeth. He leaned his head down, analyzing. Whirlwind mustered a smile, while Flashwing had been poised to strike. Pyralis cast Whirlwind a disdaining eye, ''What is this one? Why does she have a horn like that?'' He started to sniff.

''I'm...'' Whirlwind's voice faltered. No, she couldn't announce that she was a hybrid. She had experienced countless nightmares in which unicorns and dragons teased her. And in real life, some unicorns and dragons still jeered at her. Her past was never ever going to leave her, although she truly wished it did. But, when anything went wrong, she knew that the Skylanders, her friends, were there to protect her. Flashwing certainly seemed ready to battle, pointing her tail at Pyralis, growling. Although, even the gem dragoness wore a frightened look.

With a soft sigh, Whirlwind continued. ''I'm-''

''Deformed! She's deformed.'' Flashwing interrupted.

Pyralis scoffed lowly, ''Looks more like a hybrid to me. A half-blood. An-''

''Nevertheless, she's still a warrior. I've seen these two in action before; they are headstrong...Like us.'' Amethyst cut in. Her scales flashed in a vibrant series, to which Flint smirked at. What? Was that some sort of signal? Whirlwind cocked her head.

Pyralis nodded, ''Very well.'' He pulled his head back up. ''I'll take your word for it. But the King needs elementals, not cowardly, little miscreants. These two will be your responsibility, Amethyst, and only your responsibility. You do remember last time, don't you?''

''The King asked for bloodshed, and I gave him bloodshed. I proved my loyalty and I am only following orders. And you aren't the leader. You never will be. If I recall correctly, it was you who was-''

''Silence!'' he blustered. The red dragon then unfurled his wings, snapped his fangs, and uttered a guttural, ominous snarl. ''And as for you..._warriors_...'' Pyralis grunted. He flared his nostrils, puffing a cloud of ashy smog at the two, who promptly recoiled with coughs. ''I had expected more from elementals.'' Pyralis stated. He narrowed his eyes with a disgusted snort. ''I deeply, deeply dislike you.'' Pyralis seethed. After another grumble, he propelled himself into the air, flying off with an echoing roar.

''I deeply dislike you, too!'' Flashwing shouted at the dragon that grew smaller in the distance.

Amethyst heaved a sigh. ''Don't mind Pyralis, he's practically assigned to be rude. Uh, and speaking of roles, I've got something important...to do. I'll be back in a flash! Heheh!'' She then did the same as Pyralis, leaving the scene more gracefully, though.

''Oh, okay. Bye!'' Whirlwind waved.

''Why are you so..._peachy_?'' Flashwing asked. ''That _Pyralis_ character just insulted us.''

''I don't mind. After all, this is all a dream, right? He's not real. None of this is actually real.'' Whirlwind replied with a smile.

''Whatever you s-''

''Hiya!'' A copper dragon had nearly scared the scales off of Flashwing's body. His face was pushed in, like a common dragon, like Spyro. Only two fangs poked out. Ugly, swelling skin was on his shoved snout, bumped. Damaged scales resided around the patch of pink. ''Newbies!'' he said in glee. The dragonet scurried towards them.

''Hello there, little one.'' Whirlwind leaned down to get to his height. ''What's your name?''

''They call me Stubbs, but that's only my hatchling name. When I get big and strong like Pyralis, I'll get my_ real _name! We'll all get one! Well, heh, considering if you do defeat me in the arena...'' he introduced himself. In a mumble he added, ''Which I highly doubt...''

''So we'll all get new names? Like some sort of code names? Or is that only for the little ones?''

''It's for everyone! But only if you kill all of us first! Then you'll prove yourself worthy!''

Whirlwind and Flashwing flinched simultaneously.

''Killing...little children?'' Flashwing asked.

''Little children? No, of course not!''

Whirlwind sighed in relief. That sounded terrible! Why would anyone do such as thing? If he wasn't talking about slaughter, what had he meant then? Flashwing relaxed a bit, but she still carried a wary expression.

''Not all of us are little children, lady. We'll get to battle the grownups! And then maybe we'll all become truely loyal to the King. After all, the next in line will have to destroy him too. I hope I get a cool name...Like Scythe, or Blood, or Killer...or Sword! Yeah, I like that! Oooh, the possibilities are endless.''

Whirlwind wasn't sure if she liked this dream anymore...


	11. Twists, Tangles, and Tunnels

''Stay awake! Or else The Cardmaster will have ya mounted onto the wall...''

Patches, and a group of Seadogs, stood outside of the Esper, which was taking refuge out at Tangleroot at the time. The inhabitants of Cloudbreak had already knew they were lurking about, so The Cardmaster was sending guards out during the day and the night. They didn't get any sleep, for their eyes had to be open at all cost.

''Hogface, wake up!'' Patches snapped at the bulky Seadog next to him. Hogface yelped, straightening up, and saluting to absolutely no one in particular. He was one of the newest Seadogs, one from the bar, who was kind of foolish, much to The Cardmaster's dismay. Hence his name, Hogeface's nose was similar to a pig's. With those pointed ears of his, he looked more like a weird bat than a Seadog. Better yet, two teeth protruded from the sides of his mouth, giving the illusion of tusks.

''Stay. Awake.'' Patches repeated, furiously. He didn't exactly know why he cared so much for his team's survival. If they died, he thought he shouldn't have any sympathy at all. But, just maybe, The Cardmaster would blame him, ending his life also.

''Eh, Patches...D'you know what that is?'' Hogface rose a paw, tilting his head.

''You're imagining things. We've been out here for too long.'' Patches bluntly replied. But even he had felt uncertain that this was just a figment of their imaginations. They'd been hearing strange noises for hours. The Seadog's fur prickled, ''J-just be alert, okay?'' The others mumured in agreement, but amid the violent rustle of leaves. Vibrant birds screeched, the thrum of their wings immediately making all of the Seadogs tense up.

''Maybe we should go...?'' one suggested quietly, raising a timid paw.

''G-g-go? Go?! Did you hear about what happened to Chester? And remember the rookies? They never stood a chance, leaving a boat behind with those Skylanders like that...One they ended up crashing and ruining. We're staying, and that's final.'' Patches replied. ''Otherwise, if you'd like to have your hand chopped clean off, or be bitten by Snappers repeatedly in filthy water, o-or be fed to those...those dragons, then go ahead. He won't be merciful, he never will be.'' he added. ''Right, Hogface?''

He hadn't gotten a reply. ''Hogface?'' Patches then whirled around to find his crewmates collapsed onto the ground with shadowy figure inching his way towards him. ''Not again...'' he moaned. Before Patches could draw out any weapon, Jabb's tail had seized his neck, coiling around it. Patches was vulnerable, taken by complete surprise.

''Helloooo...'' the cheetah smirked, stifling a few snickers. Patches tried to free himself, pulling at Jabb's tail desperately. But the cheetah certainly wouldn't let him get off that easily. ''Hmmm, what should I do to you? D'you got any ideas? No, none at all? Hah! Oh well, guess I'll just to...'' Jabb's voice diminished for suspense. Patches yelped immediately. Jabb grinned wickedly, ''What? This ol' thing? Just a little renevation. Goes great for stabbin' and jabbin' and guttin' and...Say, wouldn't be much of a surprise if I told you what it did, now would it? Hehahah! Let's make this simple, yes?'' An abomination of a weapon was in his grasp. It was something like a serrated knife with multiple, sharp barbs. Two, different blades stuck out from its hilt, disorderly. At the bottom, an large fang resided, bordered by a few more spikes. A chain wrapped around it, connected to a dastardly looking trap.

''W-what do you want?!'' The Seadog's voice was a mixture between frightened and enraged, and he wasn't even sure how he should've been feeling at that point.

''What do I want? Yes, what do I want? Hm, if I do recall correctly, a little birdy told me that you pirates have some stuff of mine. Valuable things, you see. I don't want to lose 'em. No one wants to lose something important, right? What's important to you, mate? Your treasure? Your life?'' Jabb started to toy with him, tapping the Seadog's head with his blade. ''That's got to be meaningful.''

''I don't know what you're talking about!''

''_Tsk tsk_, what a ditzy, little puppy you are.'' Jabb shook his head in disbelief. ''I only ask for my riches to be returned. But, you're making this difficult, dog. 'Pose I'll have to resort to the next stage.'' Jabb started to pad away, taking Patches with him. He then placed Patches in front of him, releasing his tail's grip, but firmly holding the Seadog's claws behind the splotched pirate's back just in case he got any ideas.''You shall be my living shield.'' Jabb whispered. ''Lead the way...Or else.''

Patches, now without any weapons, for Jabb had stolen them without him even noticing, reluctantly began to lead him to the Esper. He had simply hoped for the best, although he knew that The Cardmaster was a ruthless, killing machine. Why would Patches possibly be kept alive?

Finally inside the Esper, they had practically ran into the magic menace himself, and a few other crewmembers as well.

''See? I told you that something was-'' Crook started, still all tied up and suffering.

''You didn't tell me anything, whelp. I predicted this...'' The Cardmaster snarled. He turned towards the Treacherous Trio, who shifted uneasily, laughing bashfully in their cloaks. Jabb grinned at them, smugly.

''What d'you want, cat?! It's the middle of the night!''

''Treasure...''

''Don't we all?'' The Cardmaster grumbled.

''No, I mean, **my** treasure. A little birdie told me that you have it somewhere...''

''A little birdie?''

''Yes, yes, a little birdie. It's not that hard to comprehend, mate. Why can't you pirates get that through your thick skulls?!''

The Cardmaster immediately snarled, ''Bite me!''

''Why would I do that? I'm not that cruel, cap'n. Buuut, I can't say the same thing about my knives...''

''Don't you dare touch a single hair on that Seadog's head!'' The Cardmaster shouted. Was he actually trying to protect Patches?

''Boop!'' Jabb began poking Patches, smiling. ''Oh my, did I do th-'' he began. The Cardmaster levitated all of the weapons out of Jabb's belt, pulling them towards him, before firing them back at the cheetah. Lucikly, they halted just at the tip of his snout.

''Release him.''

''Releasin'.''

Patches hurriedly sprinted over to the rest of his crewmates, panting in relief.

''Cards, don't hurt Kitty...too much.'' Poochie whimpered.

''Yes, Cards, don't hurt Kitty!'' Jabb nodded.

''I should bash your head in right here, but I think I'll wait...You could serve some purpose here. You're a hunter, a stealthy assassin, something that I need on the Esper. I have a simple job for you, hunter...''

''Will I get treasure?''

''Yes, yes, you will...'' Then, The Cardmaster turned to Poochie. ''He'll be staying with you for the night, since you know him all so well.''

''What?!'' the Trio yawped. The Cardmaster didn't respond, already returning back to his room, dismissing the others.

''_Ladies_...'' Jabb purred with a wink. ''Let's have some _fun_.''

Candy grimaced at Poochie, ''I blame you for this.''

* * *

Dragons cluttered, chattering amid the crowds. Flashwing and Whirlwind were squeezed in amongst them. After meeting their new friend, Stubbs, they had been escorted into one of the tunnels, with lots of other inhabitants of The Pit as well. Much to Flashwing's dismay, where they had resided was a dank cavern, which reminded her of the past dream. She hoped there weren't any mysterious dragons to pull them away with chains. Stubbs waggled his tail with a broad grin on his face. ''I can't wait!'' he fluttered his wings. The dragonet was kind of funny looking with that blistered snout of his. His wings were a pretty shade of auburn, almost like the sun setting. He had a spiny Mohawk colored like sand. His eyes were jade green, sparkling with brilliant curiosity. Three horns rested on both sides of his face, all curving downwards.

From what Flashwing had heard, the King was arriving. It did look like something was indeed happening, all of the dragons anxiously shifting. Some, golden armor-clad dragons, stood in single file, parallel lines, sitting across from each other. A red carpet led towards a throne, although it hadn't looked very much like a throne at all. It appeared more like craggy, sharp slabs of rocks put together. The throne couldn't have belonged to any _good_ king, its wicked attributes proving that. Two dragons with silver armor sat beside it, each on two sides of the throne. Like the dragons in golden armor, they hadn't said a word. Beneath their talons, lay a glowing, blue ball.

''What are those?'' Whirlwind asked.

''Gifts from The Cardmaster! You see, before the King was imprisoned, he knew The Cardmaster. The King had saved his life in his battle against an enemy pirate. The King and The Cardmaster soon made an alliance, and since his life was saved, The Cardmaster made an oath to repay The King, no matter what. So-''

''The Cardmaster's allied with your leader?'' Flashwing asked.

''Uh-huh, they're friends. As I was saying, after the King's punishment, The Cardmaster was finally able to repay him. Using his magic, he was able to talk to the King with his mind. The King told him that he needed to be revived, sent back out into the world and take revenge on Skylands. And The Cardmaster told him that he needed a strong, powerful dragon like him back as his ally. So, The Cardmaster said to him that the only way he could set him free, was bring back elementals who could reverse the curse! That's where you guys come in! You can save our kingdom! Heh, confusing, right? Those little things in the guards' claws are able to give us the ability to talk to the King once more. Buuut when you break him free, we won't have to use those silly illusion orbs!''

Flashwing grimaced. These dragons had been bringing up this _elemental_ talk quite frequently. Whirlwind and Flashwing didn't understand any of it.

''Oh, ooo, they're getting prepared!'' Stubbs gawked. The two dragons near the throne propped the orbs onto the arms of the throne, it clicking into place. Abruptly, light seeped from the holes in the rocks. An aura of blue surrounded it.

Blue lights.

Whirlwind winced along with the others, although Flashwing was the only one able to withstand it. With the sound of crumples and cracking, the throne gradually morphed into something that looked exactly like a rock version of...The Dragon's Throne. There was an explosion of the luminous fire, just like the old dream. Finally, with a loud, triumphal bellow, their leader had been revealed, ''My _ssss_ubjects...'' The dragons in the crowd cheered joyously, while the Skylanders were frozen solid.

''Vathek!'' Flashwing couldn't stop the squeal that flew from her mouth. The other dragons simultaneously swiveled their heads, even the guards. A few growls emerged, making Flashwing promptly tense up. Was Vathek only called King here?

''Who _sss_aid that? Who ha_ssss ssssspoken?_'' Vathek looked as if he was out for blood. It wasn't surprising though, he still appeared as ruthless as always. The dragons shifted out of the way, even Stubbs, to present Flashwing and Whirlwind.

''My, my, you've arrived...'' Vathek's enraged expression had dimmed down, a curvy, devious smirk on his face.

Whirlwind was already maddened, ''What do you want from us, Vathek?!'' She earned some snarls at the name from the others.

''Do not call me that, _Ssss_kylander!'' Vathek hissed. He sat back on his throne, some bluish smog rising from his nostrils. ''I am the King! The King of Dragon_ssss_!''

''No you're not! King Ramses is the true King of Dragons!'' Whirlwind protested.

Vathek chortled and his subjects echoed his laughs. The wyvern shook his head in mirth. ''_Sssss_kylander, you are mistaken. But you are forgiven. I need you...''

''For what?!''

''I _ssss_ee they've kept it a _sssss_ecret. Well then, I'll put it _sssss_imply. I need _sssss_oul_sss_...''

That didn't sound too good. Flashwing scowled, ''Why?''

''The Cardma_ssss_ter ha_sss_ cho_sss_en you two. You _sssss_hall be my...Elemental_ssss_. The _ssss_oul_sss_ of elemental_ssss_ are all I need. _Ssss_kylander_ssss_ are _ssss_ome of the _sss_trongest one_sss_ out there. Now I am _ssss_tarting to under_ssss_tand why you've been cho_sss_en.'' Vathek replied.

''If you need the souls of elementals so badly, why don't you just kill The Cardmaster? He's magical.'' Flashwing retorted.

''I would if I could. _Ssss_adly, I'm _ssss_till nothing but a mere _ssss_tatue. Bessssidesss, he i_sss_ the one conducting my revival, I need him as well. Without a sorcerer, I wouldn't be able to fulfill it. But enough about that fool, let'sss get this over with.'' Vathek then nodded towards the guard on his right. Silently, the guard motioned to his companion, who slunk behind the throne.

He returned with a chain was in his mouth.

''Wait!'' Flashwing exclaimed.

Vathek glared at her, hissing like wild. ''What?!''

''Oh, I am petty, I am only a worm beneath your talons, great King.'' Flashwing suddenly bowed, making Whirlwind blink in confusion. The gem dragoness then nudged Whirlwind.

''What?'' Whirlwind questioned.

''Bow!'' Flashwing whispered. Without any other words, Whirlwind hesitantly followed Flashwing's lead.

''Say something nice.'' Flashwing quietly continued.

''Oh, u-um, we both grovel before you...L-lord Vathek.'' Whirlwind stammered.

Vathek leaned in, intrigued. ''Hmm, put away the chain_sss_, I want to _ssss_ee how long thi_ssss_ will go on.''

''I was wrong! You are the true leader of all dragons!'' Whirlwind yelled. ''Come on everyone, bow before the King's might!''

Yesss...ye_ssss._'' Much to Vathek's delight, they had all started to bow, clamoring over each other. He smiled and puffed out his chest. ''Continue. Bow before your ma_ssss_ter! Now, I demand you! I demand you all!'' After several praises, Vathek had finally stopped them. ''It _sss_eem_sss_ that I have al_sss_o been missstaken...You _sss_hall be _sss_pared _Sss_kylander_sss_...for now. If you want to _ssss_urvive here you'll have to fight, that is Dragon Law. You will be gladiator_ssss_, fighting to the **death**. _Sss_so, you _sss_ee, even if you weren't killed here, you will be killed _ssss_ometime, _sssss_omewhere in the Arena. For my entertainment. Dead or alive, the _ssss_pell will _sss_till work. Oh, think of all the fun we'll have. Let'_sss_ _sss_tart with the fir_sss_t match tod-''

The orbs started to flicker, gaining some saddened _awwws_ from the crowd. Vathek groaned. Even his figure started to jitter and fade away. ''I _sss_uppo_sss_e I have to go, friend_ssss_. It was nice meeting you, my preciou_ssss_ elemental_ssss_. I mu_sss_t re-'' He vanished, the orbs turning black just seconds after.

Flashwing and Whirlwind looked at each other, uneasily. But before they could say anything, a vicious roar had made everyone flinch.

''They're back!'' one dragon shouted happily. Hurriedly, the dragons scattered towards the entrance of the tunnel and halted. Whirlwind, Flashwing, and Stubbs had to force their way through.

''Who's back?'' Whirlwind asked.

''Our hunters!'' Stubbs squeaked, thumping his tail on the ground.

Whirlwind and Flashwing peeked their heads out to find Pyralis and one of their newest enemies, Gravel. Where was Amethyst? When did Gravel leave? And where had she been? But the Skylanders hadn't been so worried about that. They had other problems. Pyralis was snapping at Gillmen, trying to hurry them up, or just plain scare them.

''You'll never get away with this! Chieftess Tessa will stop-'' one of the Gillmen started, who was being snarled at by Pyralis at the time.

''Shut up!'' Pyralis brutally whacked the Gillman's head with his tail.

''Ow!''

''Kneel peasant, the King demands it!'' Pyralis raised his wings, making himself look more threatening in appearance. ''Now!'' he bared his teeth at the Gillmen, who hurriedly, fearing for their lives, kneeled.

''We've got to get out there!'' Whirlwind exclaimed.

''No, this is how it's meant to be. We're dragons.'' Stubbs shook his head. Unanimous murmurs echoed in the tunnel. The dragons hadn't seemed fazed by the horrific acts of Pyralis and Gravel; they were just nodding in agreement. Then again, the dragons were used to killing their friends in the arena. Surely, this was like an everyday thing.

''T-t-that's crazy talk!'' Whirlwind yelled, staring at Stubbs with wide, terrified eyes.

''You act like you've never eaten meat before.'' Stubbs commented. Cocking his head to a side, he added, ''You do eat meat, right?'' The others chattered, utterly confused. It was as if the Skylanders were the crazy ones.

''The lesser beings are prey. Didn't you eat Gillmen back in your old homeland? Or Mabu? Or foxes? Or yetis?'' A silvery dragoness asked. Flashwing's mouth was agape. She wasn't sure what to think. If they rescued the Gillmen or any being that was brought into the Pit, Vathek's dragons wouldn't be able to eat. But, if they didn't rescue the prey, they would be completely deserting their job as Skylanders. The silvery dragoness continued, ''Mmm, they're nice...'' Her face was all cheery, as if the fact that they were slaughtering people in cold blood and then eating them was enjoyable.

''That's disgusting!'' Flashwing blurted out. That had received even more bewildered whispers among the crowd. Some had eventually decided to speak up...with suggestions.

''Have you ever tried gremlin? Their flesh is stringy, but quite satisfying. Elves are good as well. They put up a fight though, and it's easier just to snap their necks without wasting energy.''

''Oooh, and Mermasquids! They're kind of like Gillmen, all salty, but better than Squidface. Frost Felines give you a little tingle on the tongue when you bite into them. It's cold, but it feels great. They talk way too much though, it's really, really, really irritating. Thankfully, they stop talking once you kill them.''

''Sky Barons taste exactly like Storm Chickens, you can never tell the difference. The chickens give a little spark though, it's a nice sensation.''

''Ever tried Drilla, dear? The gorillas are a bit heftier with a lot more meat than the monkeys. They're excruciatingly hard to find though; we have to dig our way down into their underground systems. They try to fight us, but end up tiring themselves out.''

''What about griffin? Eel? Seadog? Crustaceans, fairies, and those little, shaman bears...They all taste delicious.''

''Has anyone tried human before? No one? I've always wanted to eat one of those modern Portal Masters, their idiotic ways have troubled Vathek. Those little fleshy things, they're always helping Skylanders...They're so weird.''

''Sparkler Dragons? Mmmm, spicy.''

''What?!'' Whirlwind and Flashwing yelped.

''Sparkler Dragons...or Krakens, whatever they like to call themselves now. You know, the lizards that walk on two legs, with the fireworks, cramped onto a island surrounded by flames, they sound kind of weird with those raspy, scratchy voices.'' Stubbs replied.

''You eat...other dragons?'' Flashwing's voice trailed away. She already knew the answer to that question. There was a surge of laughter from the dragons behind her.

''They're not _real_ dragons.'' Stubbs snickered.

''And who told you that?'' Whirlwind asked.

''The King.''

They continued to chatter. Flashwing was absolutely terrified. These dragons were cannibals. And they had practically just listed a bunch of Skylanders and the innocent cilivians the Skylanders were supposed to save!

''Oh no...'' Whirlwind murmured, flattening her ears back in distress.

This was no joke.

They were going to kill, and then eat, the Gillmen. The poor, harmless Gillmen...Pyralis was enjoying their misery, staling, listening to the desperate whines of his prey. He turned to Gravel, who had her big claws on top of two of them. Her eyes weren't set onto her captives. Instead, she was staring intently at the dragons still in the tunnel. She knew something was up.

''We should end this already.'' Pyralis said.

Gravel smiled, ''You go first.''

''My pleasure.'' Pyralis promptly turned back to his victim, smirking.

Flashwing and Whirlwind both rushed out, but it had been too late. The eyes of the Gillman being tormented by Pyralis were in a state of shock. The dragon's spade had impaled him. Struck through his chest, the Gillman didn't have any other choice but to accept his fate. Pyralis dragged his tail up, audibly slicing through flesh, and then drawing his spade out. Pyralis flung the flesh that dangled from it with the flick of his tail. But he hadn't expected what came next. The Skylanders were retaliating. Pounded by streams of rainbows and blinding light, Pyralis recoiled. Shrieking, he tried to protect himself with his wings. Crystals, surprisingly, dented his armor, clanking loudly. Gravel had already dodged out of the way, safe and out of the fray. Whirlwind and Flashwing were a tag team, now taking turns in battling Pyralis. Whirlwind circled around him, firing rapidly. But soon enough, she was knocked down by the deadly swipe of a claw. It sent her reeling backwards, skidding across the earthy, arid floor with pain.

Pyralis roared and a long gush of flames burst from his mouth, targeting Flashwing. The gem dragoness, fortuanately, had averted, but her scales had been torched. She stifled her misery, scowling at Pyralis. Whirlwind eventually struggled up. Her eyes were locked onto the remaining Gillmen, who were trying to run away. Sadly, Gravel was doing the same thing as Whirlwind, but saving them wasn't on her mind. The stocky dragoness began chase. Whirlwind immediately followed her, shooting her rainbows with all her might. Gravel, finally annoyed, rounded on her, whipping her tail at Whirlwind, who luckily ducked down. Whirlwind sprinted under Gravel, and then stabbed the dragoness with her horn, right in the underbelly. It was difficult to puncture through the tough skin, however the Skylander managed to make her foe bellow. Gravel started to run around as if she were deranged. Whirlwind was now pulsing rainbows inside of Gravel, making Gravel buck and kick in agony. The hybrid did eventually slip out, collapsing onto the floor with blood on her head. Although she did feel about squeamish about what she had done, she reluctantly ignored the fact that she looked as if she had just came back from war. Whirlwind glanced back at Gravel. The earthy dragoness lay up against the quarry's wall, actually quite frightened. Whirlwind had kind of felt bad, but turned away from the whimpering dragoness with a triumphant, horse-like snort.

The Gillmen, still scared, started to cower at the sight of Whirlwind. The hybrid started to pad towards them, smiling.

''Don't hurt us, ma'am!''

''Please!''

''I'm not going to hurt you...'' Whirlwind cooed. ''I'm a Skylander...''

''R-r-r-r-really?''

''Yes. Here, let me help.'' Whirlwind leaned her head in. Her bloodied horn started to sparkle, a cluster of luminosity at the tip of it. In a flash, the two Gillmen vanished.

Pyralis roared in contempt. It was a shattering, powerful roar, filled with rage. And that was the rest the Skylanders had heard...

Flashwing awoke with a scared yelp, jolting up.

''Sssshhh...Everything okay. Flashwing safe.''

''Vathek! Where are you? Show yourself, coward!'' Flashwing growled.

''Flashwing, Voodood only here.''

The gem dragoness blinked, her eyes focusing on the Orc that stood before her, ''O-oh...'' Everthing was fine. She was still in the Medic Tent, being cared for by Voodood, where no cannibalistic dragons or insane kings could get to her.

''Flashwing have nightmare?'' Voodood asked.

''Flashwing do have nightmare...'' Flashwing nodded, pawing at the ground uneasily.

''What about?''

''I don't really want to talk about it...'' Flashwing sank into the pillows underneath her, frowning. Her eyes gazed towards the dragon's skull on Voodood's head, making her quiver. If they ever returned back to that fantasy, they surely would be forced to slay another dragon. Maybe Vathek would just have them punished on the spot for freeing the Gillmen, or maybe they would be tortured. Or worse...

''Gah!'' Whirlwind eventually awoke, her ears pricked up, wings raised. ''Did we save them? Where are the Gillmen?!''

''Gillmen?'' Voodood questioned.

''Oh, thank goodness...'' Whirlwind buried her face into her pillows, happily. ''Just a dream...Again.''

There was an odd yowl from outside, followed by a heavy thud and the scrambles of feet. Scratch peeked her head in. A plate with a big, sprinkled, pink slice of cake was in her mouth, surprisingly unscathed by the tumble. She gently placed it onto the ground. ''Delivery from Ghost Roaster and friends. It was my idea, but you know...The others helped out with it.''

Whirlwind propped her head up. ''Awww, that's so sweet.'' She sounded so glad, as if she had completely forgotten about the Gillman being stabbed, or the idea of being gladiators. But it did smell sweet. Finally, realization did indeed dawn on her. ''But I'm not very hungry...''

''Yes, yes, Whirlwind and Flashwing have nightmare about bad, meat-eating dragons and good Gillmen.'' Voodood nodded towards Scratch.

''W-wha?'' Flashwing was promptly alerted. ''H-how do you-''

''Speaking of Gillmen, there's two outside. Sonic Boom's been trying to comfort them, but I think they need medical attention more than beak kisses.'' Scratch snickered. Gillmen? She then led Voodood out of the tent, leaving Flashwing to gawk. The gem dragoness turned to Whirlwind, who was doing the exact same thing.

* * *

''_Spyro, Spyro, Spyro!_'' Sparx fluttered around his purple companion, excitedly. ''_What we goin' to do today? Huh, huh, huh? Lavy Pits? Fisherin'?_'' he cheeped. Spyro smiled, getting a brief, little nuzzle from the dragonfly before he zipped around again.

''_Adventure?_'' Sparx started to ask repeatedly.

''None of those.'' Spyro replied.

''_Oh..._'' Sparx's antennae drooped. But they soon perked back up again, bobbing up and down in happiness. ''_We goin' to see Ninjini?_'' he snickered. Spyro tensed up at the name. '' _'Chu like 'er._'' Sparx giggled, chirping in amusement. Ninjini was pretty spectacular...and pretty...But she and her comrades weren't in the Mainland; they were off with their own troubles. But they hadn't really informed Spyro about their conflicts. Arkeyans, Spyro had guessed. The remains of their past battle with Kaos and the Arkeyans were only lesser, scraggly droids, but even they proved to be a problem, trying to reanimate their beloved, almighty Conquertrons.

''No.'' Spyro responded, casting Sparx an unamused face.

''_Waz just tellin' truth! Heheh! Now, where we go?_''

''To meet Cynder.''

Sparx's wings started to give off a fidgety buzz, warily. ''_Cyndur?_''

''Cynder.'' Spyro nodded.

''_Cyndur_!'' Sparx shrieked. He immediately cowered underneath Spyro's wing. ''_Scary lady, scary lady..._'' Sparx buzzed around in Spyro's wings, hastily.

Cynder was already walking towards them, like Spyro had planned, Slobber Tooth along with her, happily. Slobber Tooth was kind of cantering like a pony, while Cynder was trudging, her pupils slits. She was slumped down, growling, and was surprisingly moving a lot slower than the Skylander beside her. Her eyes were tainted with flaming hatred.

Spyro dipped his head, ''Cynder...''

''Spyro...Why am I here?'' The dragoness's voice was a low hiss and deceptively calm.

''_Yeah, w-why s-she h-here?_'' Sparx asked.

''I told you already, Cyn. Spyro wants to talk to you.'' Slobber Tooth grinned.

''_We_ want to talk to you.'' Spyro corrected, curling his tail around his forelegs.

Cynder raised a brow, ''About what? Shouldn't you be bothering someone else? There's tons of other Skylanders here...'' She sat down with a grumble. ''I don't have time for this. Why'd you even bring this great lump to awaken me? And with a gross lick of all things! I told you that I like my slee-''

''Cynder, Cynder, calm down...'' Spyro rose a claw.

''Why should I?!''

''Boy, you're a little...feisty today. Wrong side of the bed?''

Cynder snorted. ''Enough chit-chat. Explain. I'm getting bored.''

Spyro heaved a sigh, prepping himself. ''You know about Whirlwind and Flashwing, right?''

''Oh, dearie me. No, it's not like everyone here knows about Whirlwind and Flashwing. What's wrong with them?'' Cynder's voice dripped with extreme sarcasm. She wrinked her snout. ''Is that what you called me here for?! To tell me the big news?''

''Well, since you know a lot about dark powers and such...I think that you can help us.'' Spyro replied.

''Ask Grim Creeper, or Chop Chop, or Ghost Roaster, or Hex, yes, Hex. Why don't you ask her? She's good with the dark magic stuff. Oh wow, I suppose I've given enough help already. I'll be on my way. And finally get some sleep...'' Cynder began to turn around, but Slobber Tooth stopped her with his tail, blocking the way. The dragoness grimaced, ''...Really? I can just fly-''

''But you're not goin' to...'' Slobber Tooth pushed his snout to hers, gritting his teeth in a low growl. ''Are ya?''

Spyro snickered to himself. Sometimes, it was really great to have Slobber Tooth around. Like Hot Dog, he was completely loyal to the Skylanders, and faced any problem head-on. Literally. Cynder had been taken by surprise, blinking as if she hadn't understood what had just happened. Slobber Tooth was eying Cynder, staring like an owl. Cynder decided that she didn't like the look, and veered her head away. She then pointed, ''Look! A Greeble!''

''Greebles?!'' Slobber Tooth immediately swvieled his head, drooling in excitement. Realization had dawned on him. ''Wait. Greebles are only in Cloudbreak...Cynder!''

The dragoness was trying to fly away, but Slobber Tooth had gently wrapped his jaws around her tail, dragging her down with his weight. Cynder scrabbled, although, of course, Slobber Tooth wouldn't let go. She was dragged towards Spyro, like a dog on a leash. Cynder tried to yank her tail out of Slobber Tooth's slimy maw, grunting. But she wasn't getting anywhere.

''Nice work.'' Spyro commented.

''Tmwanks.'' Slobber Tooth smiled, softly gnawing on Cynder's tail as if it were a chew toy.

''Stop that!'' Cynder exclaimed. Slobber Tooth finally released, and Cynder fell back with a yelp. She jolted up, shaking herself off with irritated groans. ''Symptoms?'' she grumbled.

''Weird dreams, about dragons and-'' Spyro started.

''The 'Bane of Your Existence' curse, or something like that. I don't really know.'' Cynder shrugged.

''What is it?'' Spyro tilted his head.

''A sorcerer's spell.''

''No, I mean, what does it do? Is it fatal?''

''Errr...''

''Is. It. Fatal?'' Spyro repeated.

''T-that depends...'' Cynder pawed at the ground.

''What do you-'' Spyro started.

''Spyro!'' Sonic Boom rushed towards them. Her feathers were all ruffled, obviously worried about something. With big, frightened eyes she finally announced, ''We've got trouble...'' She flicked her tail towards two, bandaged Gillmen, who were trembling. ''They came out of no where. They say they were being chased by big, bloodthirsty dragons! A-and they lost a friend...''

* * *

After lots of goodbyes, the Swappers had packed up, and set out on their deformed, ragged hot air balloon. They brought all the essentials, of course. Although, most of the essentials were basically random things that would no way help them survive. Freeze Blade, not surprisingly being the odd Frost Feline he is, had taken a camera along for the ride, with no other reason behind it besides-

''It's for the memories!''

The Swappers had just arrived at their first destination: Tangleroot. The trees were huge, stretching up like bulky snakes. Their roots were gnarled, all sent into different directions, dug into the earth. The foliage from the trees had practically almost covered the sky, only leaving a thin streak of it visible from above. Thorny vines hung from the branches as if they were alive, swishing at the gentle breeze, waiting to strike. Not to mention the grass that had nearly engulfed the Swappers's bottom halves. But the air was crisp with the scent of lovely flowers and delectable fruits. Grilla Drilla couldn't retain himself from smiling, but since he was low on his knuckles, the grass hid him, and no one else could see his glee. Though a strong, fierce Drilla gorilla, he cheeped softly, slightly bouncing up and down in excitement. He had been used to earthy, underground areas. But above the Drilla Kingdom there had been a jungle. And it was just like paradise. Tangleroot was just like paradise. ''Amazing! It looks great! Let's go!'' Grilla Drilla bounded, but soon halting with sheepish snickers, turning back around. ''Oh, urm, I mean...It's kinda cool.'' After that, he grinned, and continued onwards.

Stink Bomb too had been facing the elegant calls of the forest. He took a few steps, hesitantly, watching as Grilla Drilla swung from vines. The Swampskunk looked towards Wash Buckler, ''C-can I-''

''Go nuts.''

Stink Bomb didn't need to be told twice, and he immediately dashed, ''Wait for me!''

''Life Skylanders...'' Trap Shadow shook his head in disbelief. ''We should probably follow them, before they do anything...reckless''

Wash Buckler nodded. The remaining Swappers followed the joyous Life Skylanders, going deeper into Tangleroot. ''Map.'' Wash Buckler ordered. Magna Charge gave his leader Tessa's map. Spy Rise scuttled forward, looking at the map as well.

''We should set up camp.'' Magna Charge suggested.

''Yes, it'd be smart, before night falls, and that storm gets here.'' Spy Rise agreed. Free Ranger had been worried about some storm hitting and he was always right about weather. So, he was checking the sky periodically, just in case.

''Mehhh...'' Wash Buckler grimaced.

''I suppose you're thinking about something else.'' Spy Rise sighed.

''I'm just trying to develop different solutions, like you techy guys.'' Wash Bucker tried to concentrate, staring at the map, as if he was waiting for something to happen. ''Yeah, I've got nothing. What were you saying?''

''I can't see anything.'' Fire Kraken abruptly announced. ''And why's it so hot all of a sudden? It's toasty in here...And I love it! That's always good, right? Toasty's niiice.'' he added. He continued to ramble, ''Wait. Why's it smell like flesh? Like a dead, rotting ogre corpse...Kinda like Stink Bomb, heheh.'' The Swappers could only stare.

''Well, considering your, uhh, situation, toasty is definitely not a good thing.'' Magna Charge replied. Fire Kraken was dangling from the mouth of a rather large, carnivorous plant, his head entirely concealed in its jaws. The plant didn't seem friendly like any gentle Gobblepod. Gobblepods were an endangered species, but they did have some sub-species. And this one most likely didn't care if you were bad or good; it just wanted to eat.

''Ow, ow! What was that?! Trap Shadow? Is he poking me? Wherever he is...''

''Poking? You? Why would I waste my time with that? You're the one in a giant, dangerous flytrap thing.'' Trap Shadow scoffed.

''Wait...**WHAT?!**''

''Trap Shadow!'' Wash Buckler chided.

''What? Did you want me to lie?'' Trap Shadow crossed his arms.

''Fire Kraken, stop struggling you're going to make it worse.'' Grilla Drilla, now on the ground followed by Stink Bomb, stepped forward.

''You say that like I'm not in danger!'' Fire Kraken retorted.

''Because you're not in danger.'' Grilla Drilla groaned.

''Just attack it! That always works!'' Freeze Blade grinned. Fire Kraken, with haste, whacked the predator. Fortunately, he did fall out, shaking off the green saliva off his head wildly.

''I thought we agreed to never follow Freeze Blade's words of wisdom.'' Night Shift commented.

''But it was about to eat me!''

''And now, its about to eat all of us. You made it, and all its friends, angry.'' Grilla Drilla grunted. Lots of man-eating plants emerged, baring their horrid fangs, hissing in contempt. Some flared their frills up, looking a bit more like eyeless reptiles than plants.

''How didn't we notice these things before?'' Wash Buckler asked.

''I dunno.'' Freeze Blade, raising the camera that was around his neck, then took a picture of the enraged creatures. ''But that's a keeper!' If only I had took a picture when-''

''I don't know about you guys, but, shouldn't we, you know, be running?'' Stink Bomb grimaced at the carnivorous plants that snarled at him, timidly.

''That's a very nice suggestion.'' Magna Charge nodded. ''Why don't we follow Stink Bomb's words of wisdom for now on?''

''Because we'd be running away every time we see a ba-'' Rubble Rouser began.

''Don't!'' Stink Bomb interrupted. ''Don't you say it!''

The plants, growing tired of watching their blabbering, started to snap at them, stretching their necks out. Uttering infernal noises in rage, at their calls, more and more arrived. The Swappers started to back up, but soon found out that they were surrounded by them.

''Aaand Stink Bomb's words of wisdom it is!'' Wash Buckler, jumping back at the vicious plant that had nearly bit his head off, finally decided. The Swappers hastily proceeded to run, dodging out of the way of any dangerous snaps. Eventually, they had got to a clearing, already exhausted.

''Freeze Blade's not he-'' Spy Rise was in the midst of counting the SWAP Force.

''Guys! There's a flippin' waterfall! You've got to see it!''

''Really?!'' Wash Buckler was the first one to speak up, instantly excited. ''Wait...'' He knew Freeze Blade, and the Frost Feline was known amongst Camo and Zap for pranking. But, this time, Freeze Blade wasn't lying.

Trap Shadow's ears twitched intently; his ears didn't tell tales. The cat nodded towards Wash Buckler, ''I hea-'' Wash Buckler hastily sped off, his suction cups audibly clicking from the rush.

''YES!'' Wash Buckler was certainly overjoyed, his exclaim making the rest of the Swappers flinch simultaneously.

* * *

Free Ranger nipped at a juicy mango, his plume sparking at its taste. He carefully pecked at its succulent flesh, almost as if he hadn't wanted to damage it. A Storm Chicken's beak was surprisingly quite sharp, with an expert tongue that acted kind of like a finger, plucking small amounts of food at a time. Their beaks were great at digging into the soft soil and earth, removing worms from underneath. Free Ranger, though, liked chicken feed and seeds more than grubs.

''You're doing it wrong.'' Rubble Rouser grumbled.

'''How else am I supposed to set this up?!'' Grilla Drilla exclaimed.

The two, and a few others, were setting up the tent, but it appeared as if they hadn't been making much progress. Magna Charge was busy rereading, and rereading over and over again, the map, Wash Buckler and Spy Rise with him. Tessa hadn't left them much to work with, just a good luck message and some red circles on locations. Alas, it was better than nothing. Otherwise, they would be following Wash Buckler, who really had no sense of direction, even though he was a pirate. Mermasquids were supposedly quite intelligent, but Wash Buckler just didn't reveal that side of him for some reason. Magna Charge, too, had suffered from the same conflict. Although the most informed out of the team, the Ultron was rather oblivious and somewhat...gullible. They all had their flaws. But, Trap Shadow liked to believe that he was absolutely perfect and virtually the best on the team. Which frankly, to Free Ranger, were only bluffs, for Trap Shadow was easily distracted by silly 'red dots', feathers, and the quietest, minuscule snap of twig. ''I caught it!'' The said cat had arrived, holding a little, trembling Dragonbunny by its ears.

''Gotcha!'' Stink Bomb had, rather randomly, appeared right next to Trap Shadow, quickly yet carefully snatching the prey out of the predator's claws.

''Hey!'' Trap Shadow shouted, immediately baring his teeth.

''I'm calling this little guy...Cuddles.'' Stink Bomb nuzzled the bunny, lovingly.

''And I'm calling it...Meat.'' Trap Shadow licked his chops, smirking.

''Oh stop it, you're scaring him. Stink Bomb...not the bunny. And that never turns out well.'' Spy Rise commented.

Trap Shadow crossed his arms, ''He started it!''

''Did not!''

''Did too!''

Free Ranger shook his head, softly squawking in mirth. Would they ever learn? They were starting to get like Night Shift and Freeze Blade, but not as worse. Definitely not as worse...Stink Bomb stuck his tongue out and spluttered a raspberry at the snarling Trap Shadow.

''Grrr...You _annoy_ me, I hope you know that...'' Trap Shadow growled. Stink Bomb didn't really know how to growl, so instead, he ruffled his tail up, covering the Dragonbunny's eyes.

''Dudes, whoahoho, break it up.'' Wash Buckler eventually interfered, stepping in between the two. Stink Bomb promptly followed orders, stepping back a bit, lowering his poised tail.

''Trap Shadow.'' Wash Buckler turned to the aggressive cat. Trap Shadow cut his growling short, but still gave the shivering Dragonbunny voracious looks.

''What happened to being peaceful, Flower?'' Wash Buckler glanced at Stink Bomb, smiling. Flower, it was just another one of Stink Bomb's countless nicknames, all relating to his stench and only his stench.

''Yeah, what happened to peaceful?'' Trap Shadow asked. ''You were about to spray me...''

''But I didn't.''

''You almost did.''

''No.''

''You were preparing to...''

It was like talking to irate siblings, exactly like Breeze and Bella all over again.

''We're going to need a few...things. Stink Bomb, why don't you go foraging?'' Wash Buckler said.

''Great idea!'' Stink Bomb perked up.

''With Trap Shadow.'' Wash Buckler added. Trap Shadow flinched, tensing up. Stink Bomb was beaming smugly at the feline, snickering. What? What?! Trap Shadow didn't forage; that was for giddy, little wimps. Hunting, on the other hand, wasn't for babies. Stink Bomb hadn't seemed bothered that they were going to be working together, bouncing his tail up and down, happily.

''Oh no, no, no, no, no, no. You are not going to make me go picking _pretty, little flowers_ with...with fartist.''

''Hey! I resent that!''

Wash Buckler patted Trap Shadow on the shoulder, ''It'll be a lot easier. Just promise me you won't kill him, kay?''

''I make no promises.''

Stink Bomb chuckled. ''C'mon, tiger.''

Now, in the midst of foraging, Trap Shadow started to mutter to himself. ''We could have eaten that Dragonbunny...'' Trap Shadow grumbled, trudging beside Stink Bomb.

The Swampskunk grimaced at the idea. ''It was a helpless creature. And it was really, really adorable...''

''Heh, says the one who eats_ helpless_ bugs.'' Trap Shadow responded. As if on cue, Stink Bomb flinched, alarmed by a buzzing. His tail twitched, completely alerted, standing up straight.

''Oh great...'' Trap Shadow rolled his eyes.

''Did you hear that?''

''Is that a trick question?'' Trap Shadow shook his head, incredulously.

Stink Bomb started to swivel his head. ''Where is it?!''

''Stink Bomb, you're getting distracted.'' Trap Shadow warned.

''B-but...'' Stink Bomb murmured.

''Stink Bomb.''

''Please?''

''No.''

''Please?!'' Stink Bomb pleaded, yanking Trap Shadow by his bandana. Trap Shadow blinked in bewilderment. Stink Bomb broadened his eyes and quivered his lip, drooping his tail. Trap Shadow raised a brow. Stink Bomb continued to stare, frowning.

''Y-you're kind of freaking me out. I know this is going to backfire somehow, but, okay...?''

Stink Bomb scurried away, laughing. Trap Shadow watched him fade into the distance. And soon enough, the plan did backfire. Trap Shadow tapped his foot impatiently on the ground. What was taking so long?! Trap Shadow tasted the air, parting his jaws slightly. He sniffed deeply, but promptly recoiled at the scent. Stink Bomb wasn't far away. In fact, Trap Shadow could even tell that the skunk had sprayed recently, making the cat wrinkle his snout. Trap Shadow's hunting nose was definitely helpful and it was extremely sensitive to different scents. From being around Stink Bomb for so long, he knew that a Swampskunk's weapon could be varied with its emotions. No one else could really tell the difference though. That was just because their noses weren't as superior as Trap Shadow's. The smell was indeed out of fear. Stink Bomb must've been frightened, not that that was surprisingly.

But there was another scent that had mixing with Stink Bomb's musky odor. Trap Shadow's fur rose. It wasn't the scent of any other teammate. It wasn't thick and gamey like any prey.

They weren't alone.

Trap Shadow decided to follow the two, conjoining smells, before halting in his tracks at the sight of Stink Bomb stuffed inside a net, dangling from a low tree, in a deep, snoring slumber. He couldn't have gotten himself in there, right? Why would anyone sleep in a dingy net? There had to be another hunter here, there just had to. Trap Shadow hastily sliced through the net with the quick swipe of his claws.

Stink Bomb fell onto the grass with a surprised yelp, ''Don't kill me! Don't kill me! Don't kill-'' Trap Shadow shut him up, placing a finger onto the skunk's mouth. He analyzed Stink Bomb, his head going up and down as if he was slowly nodding. Stink Bomb trembled. His tail fidgeted with occasional jets of fetid gas.

''It's me. You know, Trap Shadow, I'm your friend.'' Trap Shadow whispered.

''Trap Shadow!'' Stink Bomb exclaimed.

''Sssshhhushh! Be quiet, we're being watched...''

''I know! Behind you!''

Trap Shadow whirled around, flexing his claws. Jabb stood before him. Trap Shadow promptly hissed, rounding on him.

Jabb hadn't seemed fazed. ''I believe the skunk belongs to me.''

''No, I believe that you've got it all wrong.'' Trap Shadow retorted.

Jabb crossed his arms, his tail moving to and fro in a calculating way. He rubbed his chin, ''Hmmm...''

''You want to fight me over a skunk?'' Trap Shadow asked.

''Why not?''

''This is a Swampskunk we're talking about here. And you really, really don't want this one. He's green, which means he's smellier than any skunk.'' Trap Shadow started to count on his paws.

''Really smelly!'' Stink Bomb joined along.

''He's flatulent.'' Trap Shadow said.

''Really, really gassy!'' Stink Bomb shouted.

''And he's ugly.'' Trap Shadow finished.

''Really ug-hey! Rude...''

Jabb chortled. ''And? I care why? Oh, you're clever, I'll give you that. But you're certainly not the cleverest. I'm here to trap Skylandahs, not hunt. And all Swampskunks are the same, even the lassies. Although, the Swampskunk's tail would look nice draped around me. Or a fur rug for the hut...But never mind the smelly, flatulent, ugly mustelid. Those sabers of yours look mighty fine...You are also a huntah, am I correct?''

''Hunter. Not huntahhh.'' Trap Shadow began to spin a snap trap, angrily.

''Oooo, so we're fightin' now, huh? This'll be fun.'' He rose his claws, balling them into fists. ''Always wanted ta tussle with a Skylandah.''

''Then I guess it's your lucky...**DAY!**'' Trap Shadow lunged, but grabbed nothing but the air around him. ''Huh?'' The hunter swiveled his head. He looked up, and found the cheetah in a tree branch.

''Miss me?'' Jabb asked.

''How...'' Trap Shadow was actually quite confused.

''I'm fast. It's as simple as that, stripes.'' Jabb shrugged. He produced a what had appeared to be an Arkeyan gun, almost out of no where. Jabb aimed it towards Trap Shadow's feet, ''Now, let's see how fast you are.''

''I don't have to be fast.'' Trap Shadow smiled, before disappearing, much to Jabb's surprise. Trap Shadow clambered up the same tree, inching his way to the befuddled cheetah. Unfortunately, Jabb had whirled around before Trap Shadow could strike, pointing his weapon directly at the Skylander's head.

''You're good.'' Trap Shadow said.

''Yes, thanks, I know.'' Jabb replied.

''But we're good-ier.'' Stink Bomb jumped down from the shorter branch above the two and kicked Jabb off, smiling.

''Augh, good-ier? Is that even a word? You were supposed to make it sound cool...'' Trap Shadow grumbled.

''What did you want me to say? Gooder?''

''Better, I wanted you to say better.''

Stink Bomb furrowed his brows.

''You're still mad at that? Oh, c'mon Stinks, I was just kidding. You've got a very turtle-y face. But the other things are true.'' Trap Shadow snickered.

''Was that supposed to be a compliment?'' Stink Bomb asked.

''Let's scram.'' Trap Shadow completely ignored him and vanished without another word. Stink Bomb reluctantly looked down at Jabb, who seemed unconscious. With a brief shrug, he followed after Trap Shadow, concealing himself as well.

Once the coast was clear, Jabb shot his eyes open. ''I_ do_ love playing possum...''

* * *

_To quote Stink Bomb, ''Don't kill me! Don't kill me! Don't kill me!'' I'm not actually shipping Spyro and Ninjini, t'was only in one of the Skylanders books, and I simply referenced it...since it was odd..._


	12. (Befriending) Fiends

_Yeah, NinjinixSpyro is weird even for me, and I love all the ships, even the weird ones. But, um, it's unique! And creative!_

ATTENTION:

_**PoochxStink skunk n' poodle bonding time**...Seriously, it's everywhere this time...so...That back button's available. Click it, it's waiting. It wants your love, Reader. Otherwise, let the conversations between **Canon-mustelid and OC-canid** begin! _

* * *

The midnight sky draped itself over Tangleroot, sending creatures into a deep slumber, while the nocturnal ones were still out and about.

The Swappers were all tuckered out, the majority of them curled up on the jungle floor, while Hoot Loop and Night Shift were on tree branches, and Blast Zone hovered and Magna Charge stood. Sadly, their tent kept falling down; it was just too flimsy. But that hadn't kept them from getting to sleep, nothing would stop them from getting sleep. Hoot Loop kept fluttering his eyes open though. He was in the midst of reading The Cardmaster's book, trying to keep himself awake, although frequently nodding out. One side of him didn't want to sleep...Perhaps it was because someone was watching him. He rotated his head just in case, but no intruders were found. Hoot Loop swiveled his head back around, blinking. A campfire burned in the middle of their rest area. Stink Bomb had his blanket, which he tried to hide, although everyone knew about it. It was placed between his paws, and he was cuddling up next to it, like some sort of sleepy puppy. He often kicked in his slumber, most likely due to all of his training. But, he was separated away from the others, and away from the fire...Thankfully. Or else _fire_ would fight with actual fire. Rattle Shake was closest to the flames. Tangleroot had gotten brisk at night and due to his coldblood, he certainly needed to be near it. He had made sure he was close to Blast Zone, as well.

Hoot Loop looked back down at his book, eyes setting onto his last point. He'd been learning so much about The Cardmaster's life. He had left ragged notes stuffed inside the book, which Hoot Loop had been the most intrigued in. It was all about past events, some even about the Seadog's childhood. The Cardmaster traveled with a circus, just like Hoot Loop. The Cardmaster wowed them with extraordinary tricks, just like Hoot Loop. And The Cardmaster, of course, was magical, just like Hoot Loop. Sure, The Cardmaster was a cruel, vicious fiend, and Hoot Loop was the complete opposite, but maybe, just maybe, they weren't all that different.

The owl chose a note and began to read once more:

_I'm troubled. Master Eon's been telling me that Ail, my newest, best friend, is no good. I don't exactly understand what he means by that. She can't be all that bad, could she? She's just like me; we both have magic...and she's a Seadog, too! I don't have any idea about how I gained my powers, nor do my parents. Master Eon says it's not something to be afraid of, even though I can't deny that I have outbreaks here and there. But so does Ail; she's the crankiest she-beard I've ever met. She's all alone, an orphan. I can't help but feel bad for her. Ail's a few years older than me, and calls me 'kid' a lot. But I don't mind. I'm becoming fond of her and she's becoming fond of me. And...I kind of like her. Like like. I tried giving her a flower once, but she just tore it up, and for some reason, devoured it. But, she was pleased anyway...Ail is very, very pretty. With her soft, snowy white fur, and her fluffy ears and tail, and her beautiful amber eyes...I sneak out to meet her, my parents don't need to know about her, or that she's evil._

Master Eon never told them about his Seadog apprentice. Wasn't Hugo his apprentice, anyway? The Cardmaster wasn't that old; he wasn't as old as the Giants, and he wasn't as old as the SWAP Force either. The papers in the book didn't seem that worn down, as well. Was The Cardmaster being mentored during the time Core Skylanders were united? Or was he taught by a floating head? From what he had read, The Cardmaster was only a mere pup when he first learned about his magic. So, Master Eon must've taught him around that time. Hoot Loop's thinking was making his mind hurt, so he moved onto different matters. He knew about Ail from all of the tales several Skylanders told. She was a manipulative witch that lived on an isolated, creepy Skyland. But that, unfortunately, had been really all that he knew about her. He decided to move onto a different paper, cocking his head with a little hoot. This sheet was a list with all of their names on it, including small descriptions under them. Hoot Loop skimmed through:

_Wash Buckler:_

_-From what I can tell, he's the leader. Hah! Idiocy apparently gets you to high ranks when you're a filthy Skylander. A pirate who's good is no pirate at all. Now, he's just a Mermasquid in a pirate costume. I remember his crew. I met them one day and I tried to persuade them into joining the Esper. Of course, like the brainwashed dolts they are, the good pirates declined. Wash Buckler's not a pirate, no matter how many times he proclaims he is. A pirate would never turn down treasure and riches and the glory of plundering and pillaging. It's revolting just to think about it. _

_Rubble Rouser:_

_-He's just a rock, a living, breathing rock. That sounds like dark magic to me. Unfortunately, it's not. Because he's a Skylander! A good-natured, heroic, always-ruining-things-for-everyone Skylander! Rubble Rouser, if he was evil, would be a great addition to the Esper. Or at least, that astounding weapon of his. I'll have to ask the Trio if they could steal it for me, since they're so amazed by Skylanders._

_Rattle Shake:_

_-Such a great tracker, ruined by Master Eon. He could've been an outlaw if he tried, an outlaw that would help me on my quests. He's stopped us in our tracks multiple times. And he always wins. Auugh, they always have to try to be heroes...If only I had killed Master Eon, then done of this would be happening. Perhaps putting a curse on that slithery Skylander would do the world a favor. He needs to act like a real snake! Most of the snakes I've seen are sly and manipulative, while Rattle Shake's out there helping people! _

_Stink Bomb:_

_-Filthy Skylander, indeed. Since I'm a Seadog, and I have a strong-sensing nose, being sprayed is worse than being bitten by Snappers over and over again. Especially when it's directed at my damn snout! Seriously! It's painful! Excruciatingly painful! I digress...He was taught under one of the greatest ninjutsu masters ever, and is still afraid of various things. It's quite funny to watch him run away in fear. I know all of his weaknesses already. But it's extremely difficult to use them when you're standing **downwind! **He's a ninja, and quite frankly, he's surprisingly good at being one. Funny, I thought would be able to smell him lurking behind, but it's apparently not that easy. With those pointed, starry things of his, he'd make a good assassin. I'm not sure I'd want him aboard the Esper, though. He's probably excellent at clearing rooms, but-_

The next text was scribbled oddly...In pink:

_-No, no, no, Stink Bomb's lovely! All Skylanders are lovely. Cards is just mad 'cause he's not as-_

The Cardmaster must've erased everything else; a dark, black line crossed through the rest of the pink writing. Hoot Loop looked up from the messages, hearing the raucous crunching of leaves and the crack of a stick. Immediately, everyone jolted up, ready to fight, staring at the intruder.

Jabb was caught red-handed. Unusually, he was carrying a satchel, it distended by its items. '' 'Ello friends! Um...Having a good night? How's your night been, hm?''

''That's him.'' Trap Shadow growled.

''Who's him? I-I'm certainly not him, whoever he is? I'm just a wee, lonely loner, that's all. Just lookin' for some friendly, travel buddies.''

The Swappers, luckily, weren't buying it. They raised their weapons without words. Jabb flinched, putting his paws up in attempt of protecting himself. Although, paws wouldn't do much against the attacks from all of them...At once. ''I'm not here to harm anyone, really! I just want t'tag_ aloong_...'' Jabb whined. ''I'm not the bad guy here...'' he shook his head.

''Why were you sneakin' up on us then?'' Grilla Drilla asked.

''This should be fun.'' Night Shift smirked, pounding his boxing gloves together, gaining a frightened grimace the cheetah. The Skylanders awaited for a good answer, and Jabb was busy trying to come up with an excuse.

''This should take a while.'' Free Ranger added.

Finally, Jabb raised a finger, gesturing that he had an idea. ''I tracked you.''

''Stalker...'' Freeze Blade whispered, snickering to himself.

''You see, I'mma huntah, totally different from a stalkah, and tracking things is what I practically do for a livin'. I thought-'' Jabb began.

''How'd you get past the barrier?'' Fire Kraken asked.

''What barrier? You mean those weird traps? Wasn't easy, but that's an entirely different story for an entirely different time. Also, there's a lovely lil' thing called a bandana, covers me nostrils. Heh, anywho, as I was saying, I thought that I could track yas down. 'Fraid, um, a few things of mine were stolen, by that menace called The Cardmastah. Yes, sadly, I do work for him, but that's not saying much, he's a total ruffian. And he hates cats! See, we can relate, um, you...Two. Well that's two out of...Nevah mind. But there are these three hotties, all fluffy, and pretty, and sweet, and noxiously drenched in perfume, and-''

''Could you just get on with it?!'' Spy Rise rubbed his eyes. ''It's the middle of the night...''

''Ooo, tough crowd...The point is, besides that I'm lonely, that I can help you. Skylandahs like you need a fast, cunning cheetah like me. Oh, and not to mention, I know all about The Cardmaster. And I'm a survivalist. At the moment, you...s-sixteen don't know how to survive. New to Tangleroot, I presume. You won't survive another day out here without me. There's plenty of monstahs here. Big, carnivorous plants that can gobble ya up in one bite, beastly, giant birds, huge creepy-crawlers, territorial Greebles, bloodsucking wormy things that can make youse go insane! Heh, you'll be nothin' but a pile of bones when they're done with ya.'' Jabb finally finished, smugly throwing his tail from side to side. The Swappers didn't seem fazed, with the exception of Stink Bomb, who grimaced at the cheetah's talk of creatures.

''Ever faced a Fire Viper?'' Rattle Shake questioned.

''No-''

''Then I'm sure we can handle a few animals.''

''B-but you don't know you're way around Tangleroot!''

''_Pssh_, we can find our way. Magna Charge's a living GPS. No map, or cheetah, needed.'' Wash Buckler waved a hand.

Jabb flattened his ears back, ''I-I just wanna help...I'm only goin' t'tag along for a little while...''

Like usual, the Swappers went into a group huddle, having a quiet discussion. But, it was unusually short. ''No.'' they all said, before retreating back into their sleeping positions.

''But-''

They uttered loud, tremendously, fake snores, surprisingly, nearly scaring the spots off of Jabb. The cheetah blinked. He decided to whisper, ''Are you awake?''

''No.'' The Skylanders repeated.

''Hm, you're all organized. I like that. It's like a camping trip, just more fun...fun-ner. Campin' with Skylandahs, cool. Uhm, I'll just...I'll just...Stay out here. In the cold. With no fire. And no friends...'' Jabb's voice trailed away. ''Ready to be eaten by hellish animals. Brutally killed, blood and guts everywhere. Dragged away as I'm screaming bloody murder. Tortured! Stabbed, gutted, jabbed! And have me whiskers ripped off by vicious claws!''

Stink Bomb decided that he had enough of the nightmarish ideas. He shifted, opening one eye up to look at Jabb. Stink Bomb moved his bushy tail, leaving an area for Jabb to lay. The cheetah smiled, ''See! This skunk knows mannahs. And to think, I tried to capture you. Sincere apologies...Uh...''

''Stink Bomb.''

''Hah, yes, Stink Bomb. Crikey, w-who names you guys? I can see why they call ya that, though.'' Jabb then lay next to Stink Bomb. Although, it probably wasn't the safest idea to sleep next to a rank skunk, Jabb finally got what he asked for.

In the morning, Jabb was barking orders at them. ''Step lively, Skylandahs!'' The cheetah was, temporarily, in the lead, practically strutting in enjoyment. Surprisingly, the Skylanders were gradually, very gradually, starting to warm up to him. He liked to boast a lot, telling them about all the times he's wrangled creatures of all different sizes, or about the time he killed a Gargantula with only his claws. Of course, no one believed it, well, with the exception of Trap Shadow. He'd been listening intently to all of his stories like an excited kit. It was as if Trap Shadow had forgotten that Jabb was a total stranger and all about their tussle. Jabb was indeed clever, often pointing out several species that crossed their path and if they were dangerous or not, telling the Skylanders what was edible and what wasn't, and all-around being what he promised to be: a living, survival guide. But he was chatty, very, very chatty. He never seemed to shut up about anything. His voice was odd; it was a complete mixture of various accents all put into one, single cheetah.

''Where are we even going?'' Rubble Rouser grumbled. Today, the Swappers had a literal rude awakening. Somehow, some sneaky Greebles stole the food that they had brought along from the Mainland, leaving none behind. Now, their guts had practically turned into an orchestra, all playing together. Rubble Rouser was definitely facing the worst of it. Being a golem that spend years and years eating mountains, he wasn't going at least one day without food.

''We're just having a little, nature stroll, my rocky friend. Just trying to get you used to the environment.'' Jabb replied.

''You have to be leading us somewhere...'' Wash Buckler remarked.

''Hmm, maybe I am, maybe I'm not.''

The cheetah was always so secretive about things. He'd talk about something, get asked one question, and completely try to avert it. Jabb inhaled and exhaled, ''Don't you just love Tangleroot? So majestic and peaceful...''

''I do have to agree with that.'' Grilla Drilla nodded.

''Still terribly dangerous, though...'' Jabb added. ''But beautiful.'' He glanced at his surroundings. ''Oh look, paralyzers plants! Ah, that's good, they're blossomin'.'' Jabb pointed to the bright, yellow flowers on the bushes. ''You wouldn't want to touch 'em beauts...''

''Why not?'' Spy Rise asked.

''Ooo, I think you've met these pretties already, I like to call 'em Gnawahs.'' Jabb, again, ignored the Skylander's query, flicking his tail towards the giant, toothy, carnivorous plants that snapped as they went by. ''You know, since Snappahs was already taken.''

''What's a Snap-'' Doom Stone began.

''Bunnies! Dragonbunnies!'' Jabb exclaimed. ''Aww, aren't they just **too** precious? Say, they look a bit like your purple dragon friend...What was his name again? Sparrow?''

''Snappers are bunnies?'' Fire Kraken questioned, bewildered.

''What?! No, no, no. Snappahs are long, leech-y thingies with serrated, venomous teeth. Poison takes over the host, makes 'em all bonkahs, you know. Freeze Blade here, is a perfect specimen of a bitten host.''

''Wait, what do you mean by _perfect specimen_?'' Free Ranger tilted his head. Sure, Freeze Blade had been acting a little loopy for some reason, but that wasn't that strange, right? At the moment, he was being helped by Magna Charge and Stink Bomb, since the Frost Feline seemed to be on the verge of fainting. The Swappers hadn't thought much of it, believing that maybe Tangleroot's heat was getting to him.

''Perfect specimen, perfect specimen. Scooch over Ultron, and look at this, mates.'' Jabb politely shooed Magna Charge away, grabbing the Freeze Blade's arm. Jabb raised it up, revealing a bunch of puncture wounds in Freeze Blade's skin. It looked fairly new, gory. Freeze Blade groggily blinked, barely even noticing anything around him.

Jabb shook his head. ''_Tsk tsk_. I saw his bite marks last night. Can't believe none of you noticed it...'' He looked at the blank-faced Skylander, snickering. ''What the 'ell happened to you, Freeze?''

''I'm...a pretty...princess...'' Freeze Blade slurred.

''See, crazy, insane, kooky, nutty, heh, I can keep goin' on.''

''Whoaah...Why do you have six fingers? Why don't I have six fingers? I want six fingers...I want...'' Freeze Blade gazed at Stink Bomb. ''Why don't I...''

Wash Buckler turned to Jabb. ''Soo, let me get this straight, you knew that Freeze Blade was bitten by a dangerous, snappy thingy, and you never told us?''

''You never asked.'' Jabb said. ''You silly cephalopod, you. Freeze Blade's goin' t'be fine, he's just gonna be a little, er, ditzy for a while. Say, a few of you should stay back at camp with Freeze Blade, that's a good idea, right? Cap'n?'' He looked towards the Mermasquid.

''That could w-''

''Great!''

Now, with their team dwindled, Wash Buckler, Magna Charge, Rattle Shake, Fire Kraken(only because he pleaded), Boom Jet, Grilla Drilla, Stink Bomb, Doom Stone, Hoot Loop, and Jabb continued to their destination that, according to the cheetah, was a_ surprise_. Rain had started to pour down on them. Grilla Drilla shook off, droplets shaking off of his pelt. He grunted, flaring his nostrils as he trudged along on his knuckles after the others. The Drilla pawed at the ground, kneading the wet mud beneath him.

''Are we there yet?'' Magna Charge asked.

''Almost, almost.'' Jabb replied. They had taken only a few more steps when Jabb raised his paw, halting them. ''Hark!'' His ears jerked around, flicking intently.

''What?'' Hoot Loop whispered. Jabb pointed his tail forward. The Swappers were put into a single file line, so they had to peek over Jabb. In the distance, a shabby, serene, little town resided. Seadogs casually walked around. The town was bustling with chatter, but all of the clamors had been leading to someplace else. It looked as if a lot of its inhabitants were in a saloon. A black flag wavered about from the building's side. A red spade-shaped printing was on it, giving off a malicious vibe.

''That's what.'' Jabb murmured. ''Lookee there.'' he directed a paw towards two, stout Seadogs that stood outside of the bar. ''Bouncahs. That one on the left is Snarl, and the one on the right is Growl. Heheh, and I was jokin' about your Skylandah names. Anyway, they're oafs, but hotheaded and brawny. I know them, but you don't know them. Sooo...'' He finally opened up his satchel and The Swappers crowded around him. Jabb reached into the bag, pulling out several costumes and accessories in one paw. ''You're going to need these. The Cardmastah's in there, and who knows, maybe he won't recognize you. I doubt it, but it's worth a try!''

''Pirate costumes?'' The Swappers questioned.

''Yep! Skylandahs are enemies 'round here. If you wear these, you'll blend in. Less attention brought onto yas.''

''No.''

''But-''

''Thanks, but no thanks. Since you know those dudes, and it was your idea to bring us here, you'll just have to convince them.'' Wash Buckler walked past the cheetah, and the others instantly followed him.

Jabb certainly wasn't the leader anymore. He stammered, ''A-a-abandon all hope ye, who enter...t-t-that bar! W-without pirate costumes!''

''Well, they're nice disguises, but we just don't need them.'' Stink Bomb responded.

Jabb hastened his pace. ''Fine, no disguises.'' he grumbled. ''Like I said, I'll convince them.''

''Actually, I said-'' Wash Buckler began.

''Hey! Snarl! Growl!'' Jabb was already walking away, waving. The Swappers, after exchanging a few glances, followed after the cheetah. Snarl and Growl both bared their fangs for intimation at their arrival.

''Whut d'you want?'' Snarl leaned forward, glowering at Jabb.

''What? What do we want? Well, we obviously want to get inside the bar. You silly, silly Seadog, why else would be here?'' Jabb poked at Snarl's snout, tauntingly.

Snarl pulled away, snapping at the cheetah. He darted his eyes towards his brother, Growl. The other Seadog was staring at the Swappers, tilting his head at the colorful figures. He turned to Snarl, who was starting to tilt his head as well. Growl looked at Jabb, ''Those your friends?''

''Who else would they be?'' Jabb snorted.

''They look...familiar.''

''Oh, I assure you, you've never seen them before. Now, can we proceed into the very place you are guardin' or do we have to dilly-dally out here for days?''

Snarl's hackles raised in indignation, but he stepped aside along with his brother, flexing his claws. ''Go.''

''I take my hat off to you...But I don't have one so that doesn't make sense does it? Hah! Come on_ friends_, you're gonna miss out on all the fun.'' Jabb then led the way inside, pushing back the saloon doors, happily. The Swappers followed him, although being daunted by Snarl and Growl's vicious stares. Inside the bar, it was loud, all of pirates chatting and clamoring.

''So many pirates...'' Magna Charge said, scanning the room. There were indeed many pirates. The majority of them were Seadogs, but there were a few Squidfaces thrown into the mix. Round, wooden tables settled on the floorboard, bordered by large groups of pirates that sat in the chairs.

''C'mon.'' Jabb gestured to his group, pointing a dagger at the counter in the back. There were stools surrounding it, patched up cushions on the top of the tall seats. A Seadog was working behind the counter, lazily cleaning it with a sponge. He sported a long, fleshy gash across the bridge of his muzzle. Jabb looked back at the Swappers, who weren't exactly doing a good job of blending it. They were just standing around, aimlessly.

''Scarsnout not gonna bite you. Come over here, gang!'' Jabb called. Hesitantly, the group went over to sit with Jabb.

''Jabb, haven't seen you in a while...'' Scarsnout said.

As Jabb started a conversation with the Seadog, Stink Bomb glanced around the room. Crowds. He wasn't very fond of them, for they had led to many mishaps when he was a kit. But it wasn't as terrifying as he expected it to be. And yet, the skunk still felt uncomfortable. This wasn't a good idea; he could feel it in his fur. He sighed, resting his head onto his paw. He continued to observe the bar. Stuffed animal heads hung from the wall, making him jump a bit. Googly eyes had been shoved into their sockets. Pink glitter had been sprinkled upon the various animals heads. He even spotted a few stickers on some their noses. Frankly, that didn't seem very pirate-like at all. In fact, he'd noticed that there had been a lot of sparkles glimmering upon the floor when setting foot in the building.

Even the seat to the right of him there had been shiny décor. He blinked in utter bewilderment. Abruptly, a rather flowery scent wafted around his nostrils. It certainly wasn't him, that's for sure, nor any of his teammates, or even the many pirates among him.

He soon realized that the culprit had lurking among him all along.

A tall, think female seadog was twiddling her legs that dangled down from the seat, giggling. Her eyes were a gentle shade of blue. Unlike the other Seadogs, her ears were all puffy, curls of white fluff looking like miniature sheep living on them. Even her tail had a blob of fluff on it. Her belt was pierced with white teeth, all diverse in size. Some glitter was still left on her paws. The Seapoodle was quaint, an oddball of sorts but still good-looking. Stink Bomb promptly jolted back in surprise. When did she get here?! The Seapoodle fluttered her long eyelashes at the skunk, smiling with glee. Her perfume was heavy, it almost overwhelming Stink Bomb's stench. The scent was very fragrant.

It had reminded Stink Bomb of a calm, soothing meadow with filled with flowers, making him calm down at little. He wasn't sure if he should talk to her, since anyone could be an enemy. But her grin, that adorable little grin of hers, unwillingly made him speak. ''Um, hi..." he hesitantly waved. The Seapoodle sniffed, leaning in closer to the skunk. Now, Stink Bomb was even more confused. The canine continued to snuffle, wiggling her nose. No one normally got his close to a skunk. It was as if she was amazed by something. She tilted her head. Wait...Something about this seemed familiar...He knew that scent.

''Nice cologne!'' the fluffy dog praised. Cologne? Was that another word for musk in pirate-talk? Why would any sane person compliment that? Why would any sane person...? ''Wait. Your scent, it reminds me of...'' the Seapoodle's voice trailed away. She quickly whirled back around, grabbing Stink Bomb's paw, analyzing it gingerly. Stink Bomb let her, but he could not help trembling slightly. For he was in the presence of the rare, female pirate. She pressed her paws against Stink Bomb's palm, separating his fingers and observing them, wriggling them. Her gaze was then set upon Stink Bomb's bushy tail, which she proceeded to stroke, much to his liking. Unfortunately, she stopped. ''You are Stink Bomb.'' the Seapoodle grinned.

''You are Poochie.''

Poochie cocked her head to a side. ''How can I be so sure? You could be some sort of imposter.'' The Seapoodle abruptly showed her teeth, softly growling. She started to interrogate him, ''Clear the...''

''Air.''

That was apparently enough. Her face showed pure happiness. ''Hug!'' Poochie had practically almost leapt on him, yipping with delight. Stink Bomb, after a few moments, reluctantly brushed a claw through her fur.

''I missed you!'' Poochie briskly licked the side of his face. Stink Bomb hadn't even noticed until she pulled away. His fur prickled from shock. What was-

''Another hug!'' the Seapoodle pounced again. After a few moments, she decided to lick him again, three times this time. Stink Bomb could faintly hear her saying 'wuv' over and over again, her muzzle nuzzling into his fur. So, this was what _wuv_ was? It was weird...and awkward. Was that something all Seadogs did? Was that some sort of welcoming thing?

''Uhm...I missed you too.'' Stink Bomb reluctantly patted her poofy hair.

Poochie's tail waggled, her ears perking up, and her tongue lolled out. ''Play?'' Play? This Seadog terminology was getting too difficult. Stink Bomb turned around towards Magna Charge. An Ultron was filled with information, surely he knew more about this. He was already behind him, intrigued in the conversation.

''Play?'' Stink Bomb whispered.

''Heheh...''

''What? What does it mean?''

''A courtship tradition amongst Seadogs, of course. It's a sign of affection.''

''Courtship?''

''Yep.''

''Like romance?''

''Court. Ship. Males try to impress the females, you know, courtship. Freeze Blade tries to do it all the time.''

Stink Bomb blinked. He wasn't entirely sure he was ready to 'play'. He wasn't even entirely sure how to play. Flirting definitely wasn't one of his talents. He was a skunk, anyway. Did he have to practice to play?

''Play...?'' Poochie asked. Stink Bomb glanced back over to Magna Charge, who was smiling the best an Ultron could, even though it just looked weird. Fire Kraken, on the other hand, was laughing.

''Play doesn't mean courtship, does it?'' Stink Bomb grimaced.

''Nope!'' Fire Kraken grinned.

Poochie squeaked, ''Skylanders! Hi! Where are the others?! Oh, who cares, there are Sky-'' Stink Bomb placed his paw onto Poochie's snout.

''Is this a game?'' Poochie whispered. ''Are we playing? Are we? What's this game called? Wait, wait, wait, did you just One-Inch Palm me? Gently? Sooo cool...''

''Sshhh...'' Stink Bomb hushed. He slowly removed his paw, cautiously looking around for potential threats.

Poochie sniffled, scrunching her face up. ''Phew! Wow, those Cyclopes were right. That was nauseating...Can you teach me?! Sensei Stink Bomb?''

''Well, since you ask-''

She grabbed the skunk's hand, stood up, and started to pad away. Stink Bomb, as he was being practically dragged away, looked at Magna Charge and Fire Kraken. The Ultron's pupil turned into a heart, followed by static, and classic, romantic music.

''Awww...'' Fire Kraken said, putting his hands together. ''Lovebirds!''

* * *

''Where are we going?''

''My secret hideout.''

Stink Bomb and Poochie were in an eerie section of the bar. Even though it might've looked small on the outside, the building had another floor. The two were venturing off into the shadier side of the bar. Spider webs hung off of some of the glowing, flickering lanterns on the wall. The picture frames accompanied with them were crooked, cracked ever so slightly. Stink Bomb flinched at Poochie's sudden touch.

A girl, a pretty girl at that, was actually holding his hand. Yes, she had grabbed it before, but now she was clearly enjoying it, virtually squeezing his paw. But it hadn't felt bad, in fact, it was the complete opposite. Stink Bomb was still scared, though, absolutely petrified. Poochie smiled gleefully to herself, peeling back the sharpened blades Seadogs called 'teeth'. What if this was all a trap? Everyone allied with The Cardmaster had to be a villain, right? He wasn't quite sure. The only threatening things about Poochie were her fangs and her odd belt, and both of them had been outnumbered by her soft paws, fluffy, white pelt, and her beautiful, baby blue eyes. Not to mention her tinkly, little giggle. Poochie, abruptly, got closer, now leaning up against Stink Bomb. The skunk tensed up, but her amazingly, comfy fur had made up for it. Why wasn't she recoiling? Why wasn't she gagging? Why wasn't she heaving or something? And why was she staring up at him like that?! If Swampskunks could sweat, he'd certainly be drenched in it. There was a bubbly feeling inside of him, and he could only hope it wasn't gas; that would ruin everything.

Every time Stink Bomb looked as if he was going to pull away, Poochie tightened her grip, uttering the most saddened, heartbreaking noise Stink Bomb had ever heard. She seemed to never want him to leave again. Poochie had a little skip in her step now, that was actually rather adorable. That was it. Poochie most definitely, positively, was not a villain. Stink Bomb couldn't help the smile that rose on his face. Poochie smiled back and began to swing her arm, taking Stink Bomb's with hers. She giggled, ''You're shivering.''

_Am I? _Stink Bomb thought. Frankly, he hadn't even noticed. His fur was on standing on end all of a sudden.

''You scared?'' Poochie grinned.

''N-no...''

Poochie released her grip, staring up at him again. She put her paws onto his shoulders. What was happening? Stink Bomb immediately froze up, tail raising in shock. The Seapoodle continued to gaze deep into Stink Bomb's eyes, not even daring to blink. ''Are you sure?''

''Yes...?'' Stink Bomb wasn't entirely sure how to react. He was up against the wall, cornered by a sweet-smelling Seapoodle, in a pirate bar.

''You sure you're sure?'' Poochie was now whispering. She pressed her muzzle up against his, a foxy, little smirk planted on her face.

''...yes..'' Stink Bomb's voice was even quieter than hers. He tried to stifle his blushing, much to Poochie's amusement. Stink Bomb's eyes veered away, finding that a few pirates were actually watching them. He hadn't even known that there were people upstairs. Vanishing seemed like a good idea at the moment. Poochie seemed just as surprised as Stink Bomb was.

''Awww, ain't dat cute...'' a Squidface said. The others unanimously commented in mirth, making _lovey-dovey_ faces.

Poochie promptly backed away, but still grasped Stink Bomb's paw, ''Follow me.'' The Seapoodle was a little faster now. She soon halted at a door, beaming. ''You knock.''

''Why?''

''Just 'cause.''

Stink Bomb glanced at her, bewildered. ''W-''

''Pwease?''

Stink Bomb bit his lip, but eventually knocked.

''_Eeeeeeeeeee!_'' Poochie squealed. In a murmur, she added, ''You just knocked our secret door...A Skylander just knocked our secret door!''

And with that, the door slung open. Cookie stood, analyzing Stink Bomb, intrigued. Candy peeked over her the tall Seapoodle's shoulder, standing on her tippy toes. Cookie whistled in amazement, studying the Swampskunk. ''Wowwee...'' she awed. ''Hello, uh, hi, Stink Bomb. Real nice to meet a living, breathing Swampskunk. Heh, I'm Cookie.'' She shook Stink Bomb's paw with an exceptionally tight grip, wildly.

''Nice to meet you...too.'' Stink Bomb flexed his crushed paw, managing to smile at her.

''Move, move, move, move, move.'' Candy abruptly shooed Cookie, pushing her aside. The youngest Seapoodle clapped her hands together. ''Awwww, cuties! You _must _be Stink Bomb. Ha! See what I did there? Must! And...you're a skunk. It's a joke...'' Her voice trailed away. After clearing her throat, she added, ''I'm Candy, by the way.'' Candy fluffed out her ears, fixating her glossy fur just for show.

''Glamorous.'' Cookie muttered with the roll of her eyes. ''Come, come, the secret hideout awaits.'' She fled back into the 'secret hideout' with Candy following close behind. Poochie nodded at Stink Bomb, gesturing to the room. Stink Bomb was still cautious about this whole thing. So, he only nodded back at her. Poochie was relentless though, shaking her head, and pointing at the entrance.

Stink Bomb needed a new strategy. ''Ladies first.''

Poochie was surprised at first, but did a cute, little curtsy in response. She strutted in, but only too a few steps, for she was still awaiting for Stink Bomb. Finally, Stink Bomb went in, looking around. For some reason, he expected some red spotlights to flash onto him, or to be ambushed by a bunch of pirates, or have a trap fall down onto him. But there was absolutely nothing. This secret hideout was nearly cleared. The only thing taking up space were bookcases, three beanbags chairs in the middle of the room, makeup supplies next to them, and cupcakes on platters in front of all the supplies.

''The door, Mr. Gentleman.''

''Oh...right.''

Stink Bomb, very slowly, closed the door, glancing back at the Trio. _Wait. Why do they want me to close the door? Well, besides the fact that there's creeps outside_, the skunk thought. He gave the Seapoodles suspicious looks.

''Over here, Fancypants.'' Poochie giggled. What was with the nicknames all of a sudden? She was certainly having fun with them, though. Go over there for what? Stink Bomb looked around again, but eventually padded towards them. Poochie turned to her sisters, and then back to Stink Bomb. They sat down on the chairs, reaching behind their backs. Tessens were in their grasp.

''Teach us, Sensei Stink Bomb.'' Poochie waved the fan in a luring motion.

''Wait, I thought it was Senpai-'' Candy began.

''Heheh, no, it's not.'' Poochie hid her face with the war fan, already embarrassed.

* * *

''Ow, hey, watch it!''

Flashwing swatted at the nearest dragon with a claw. Her back was arched, similar to an enraged Scratch. Today, they found themselves back in the Pit, like usual, but in one of the tunnels. Much to their shock, a dragon by the name of Apep had healed them. Frankly, he had to be the creepiest medic they had ever met. He was an uncanny, pale white. The purple spines on his body often quivered, creating a strange, eerie thrum every time they did. Both of his eyes were milky, for he was blind. Apep was undead, although his white color hadn't really shown that. Some of his skin was missing, replaced with gory, deep gashes, a few even hitting bone. His face was ancient, sunk in to show the very shape of his skull. With his crooked, bottom jaw, his odd knot in his spiked tail, and his raspy voice, he seemed as if he had returned from a drought. But now, recovered, the Skylanders were in midst of suiting up...

For their first challenge.

With some other warriors, they were being dressed up by multiple silver-clad, armored dragons. One particular dragon was really getting on Flashwing's last nerves. She hadn't known his name and she didn't want to; all she knew what that he was exceptionally irritating. Said dragon tightened the straps for Flashwing's torso armor, tugging. ''You're not going to survive out here.'' he mumbled, not even trying to hide the hints of disdain in his voice.

''And what makes you think that? I'm a Skylander! A legendary gem dragon! And a very, very, very fabulous one at that...''

The dragon snorted at Flashwing's reply. He finally released his grip on the straps, making Flashwing flinch. ''You really think you're something, huh?''

''You could say that.''

''Gem dragons are fragile. Sure, they're powerful, but they're still nothing like a real dragon._ You're_ nothing like a real dragon.'' he commented. What was all this _real dragon_ talk about?! She was a real dragon! Fire Kraken was a real dragon!

''Excuse me? If you don't mind me asking, what is a real dragon according to you people?!'' Flashwing asked. But, she was taken by surprise at the helmet that was slammed onto her head. The dragon nodded at her, patting the helmet. Flashwing growled, crystals gleaming in fury.

''She's good.'' the dragon nodded to his companions.

''Ugh, why is this on so tight? I can hardly move!'' Whirlwind was struggling with her armor, trudging over to Flashwing. It hadn't been much compared to Pyralis' armor, but it was enough to protect their vitals...And make them waddle. The two both yelped at the abrupt roar of another of one their favorite dragons: Pyralis.

His armor had been still terribly ruined, more than just scratched. But, his hatred for the two Skylanders had become even stronger. He showed this by throwing his rage onto anyone in his sights. Pyralis snarled at all the dragons among them. He pushed his chest out, scowling. ''It's time.''

Whirlwind drew her ears back and drooped her tail. She had been worried ever since it had been announced. Well, Apep was actually the one who told them, the dragons hadn't even warned them. They were dragged from their beds, which were really just mounds of dirt and sand, and virtually thrown into another tunnel for prepping. The dragons here were rude, that was a fact. The only ones that they could trust were Amethyst, Stubbs, Apep. The others the Skylanders hadn't been to sure about.

''Move!'' Pyralis shouted, instantly making everyone alert. The warriors started after the red dragon, hurriedly. Whirlwind and Flashwing slowly followed them. Everything was a blur. Earlier, they had finally told Voodood their tales back at the Mainland, but after that, they heard talking voices in their heads. Somehow, someway, Vathek was invading their minds, cooing to them. They tried to keep themselves awake, but his voice was just too much. Perhaps he found enjoyment in his treacherous, mind-bending acts.

Pyralis continued to exclaim, angrily. Some dragons watched as they passed by, keeping their mouths shut. There was still no sign of Amethyst, but Stubbs was eagerly trying to look over the shoulders of bigger dragons. Pyralis was leading them into, yet again, another tunnel. Flashwing didn't know what to expect. Even from a distance, they could hear the loud cheers of excited dragons. Pyralis was stalking, grumbling madly to himself. They stopped at a gate, a few dragons even ramming into Pyralis, much to his aggravation.

Without warning, the gates squealed, raising up to let them through.

''Go. Now.'' Pyralis ordered. The dragons stared at him for a while, hesitant.

''Now!'' The red dragon threatened to breath fire, some smog rising from his nostrils, and flames spurting from the corners of his mouth. And with that, they scuttled away, leaving Flashwing and Whirlwind in the dust. Pyralis only glared at them. The dragon raised onto his haunches with a menacing growl, whipping his tail, and unfurling his wings. ''**Go.**''

Two more golden-armored dragons arrived, charging towards the Skylanders. The dragonesses wanted to turn around and fight, but they were already pushed out, aggressively.

''Hey!'' Whirlwind tried to dash back, but the gates had slammed back down, making her jump back.

''Flashwing!''

''Whirlwind!''

The crowds started to chant their names. Now that they were in, their clamors were almost deafening. This was a coliseum. It had been underground; the atmosphere was humid, but perfect for a coldblooded dragon. Dragons were sitting around Flashwing faintly smiled, basking in the attention. Whirlwind, on the other hand, was focused onto the other gate that was from a far. Soon enough, the gate creaked as if it were in pain. Gradually, it started to lift up, still squeaking. Whirlwind and Flashwing crouched low in their battle stances. The other dragons, intrigued, followed her lead. With a jittery squeal, the gate was finally up. Blackened smog drifted out from the opening, billowing into a smokescreen. Heavy, low panting noises emitted from the shadowed aperture. They reverberated off the walls, even louder than before. Malicious, crimson eyes were amid the darkness, narrowed in anger. With haste, their opponent lunged out, snarling.

Much to the Skylanders' surprise, their foe wasn't a dragon. The beast had a flowing, dirty mane. Giant, yellow sabers resided at the sides of his mouth. His veins pulsed, visibly. The beast's forelegs were bigger than his hindlegs, muscly and burly. He had a face of something in between a primate and a lion. Poisonous spikes rested on the animal's back, accompanied by spears that had been stuck into his skin. Finally, for his tail, a deadly stinger whipped the air, looking a bit like Scorp. He unraveled his tattered, dragon-like wings, flapping them.

Immediately, all of the other gladiators charged towards the monster. Their enemy opened his jaws, showing at least three rows of pointed teeth. With one simple swipe of his tail, at least three of the dragons fell out unconscious...Or slain. A few of the dragons staggered back. The beast started thwacking dragons aside with his huge claws. A group of dragons decided to bite at the monster, and surprisingly, it was harming their opponent. He shrieked, trying to shake and kick the dragons off of his legs. Suddenly, Flashwing jumped into the fray, Whirlwind following her. Together, they screamed their battle cries:

''Twists of Fury!''

''Blinded by the Light!''

If they were able to maim Pyralis, surely a weird, human cat thing couldn't be much of a problem. Immediately, the beast took notice of them, shaking the petty dragons off. With a roar, spikes fired off the monster's back, homing into dragons. The unlucky targets instantly froze, soon tobbling over at the venom, their eyes rolling to the back of their heads.

_Dangerous spikes, _Flashwing noted mentally, quickly dodging out of the way of a stray quill. The creature was bolting towards Whirlwind now, who was attempting Rainbow Singularity, charging up. Fortunately, the animal was stopped in his tracks by the dragons. They were relentless. And stupid. Enraged, the enemy struck one of the _courageous_ dragons in front of him. His prey screamed, being repeatedly stung in only seconds. The warriors, shocked, sprinted out of the monster's range. The collapsed dragon's scales sizzled. His punctures bubbled, vilely. The warrior's skin had turned a sickly, green shade. He murmured something, but it was cut off short, for the foe had lifted him into his jaws. Whirlwind and Flashwing both tried to stop the creature, shooting once more. Their enemy winced, hissing at the pain. It had already been too late, though. Their foe whipped his tail around, sending them reeling. Quickly, the attacker wolfed the dragon down.

Whole.

Whirlwind groaned and shook off, dazed. Luckily, they hadn't been stung. Flashwing checked herself for any injuries, worriedly. She heaved a sigh, ''Thank the Portals...''

''But we didn't save him...'' Whirlwind frowned. She glared at the odd brute, baring her flat teeth. ''That thing's gonna pay.'' Whirlwind started to run into battle again, but thankfully, Flashwing bit the hybrid's tail and dragged her back.

''We can't just run out there!'' The gem dragoness protested. She narrowed her eyes. ''We need a plan...''

* * *

Magna Charge watched his friends, intently. It had appeared as if Freeze Blade wasn't the only one going crazy. To put it simply, they were a little...drunk. Jabb was just as convincing as he was clever. Luckily, Magna Charge was the only one who wasn't affected, for he was a robot. And he was glad to be one at a time like that. The drunkards had passed out, along with a few other pirates that had joined the party.

''Heh, see your pals liked the drinks.'' Scarsnout grinned at the Ultron.

''Correct, but that's quite an understatement.''

Scarsnout laughed heartily. '' 'Pose so. Hey...Wasn't there another one of you?''

Magna Charge blinked, ''What?''

''Another one of you.''

''L-like a clone. I assure you, sir, I don't have any clones.''

Scarsnout shook his head. ''You had another friend here, and now he's not.''

''Oh, right. He went off with his friend. A _special _friend.'' Magna Charge responded with a laugh.

''The Seapoodle?'' Scarsnout narrowed his eyes. ''Hm?'' He leaned in, placing his claws down onto the counter. ''Poochie, perhaps?''

''Is that a bad thing?''

''It's worse than a bad thing, Ultron. It's a terrible, horrible thing. Those Seapoodles are gruesome, they don't call 'em the Treacherous Trio for nothin'. They may seem cute and innocent, but that's just what they want you to think. Poochie, she's the leader, one behind all of it. Cookie, she _really _is a smart cookie. She knows lots about compact and just about anything. Some say she can know what attack you're gonna use before you even do it. She's the inventor, does machines and makes mechanical weapons. Candy, the youngest, is totally obsessed with fashion. She wears jewelry everywhere she goes, but don't let that fool you. With all of the sweets she eats, she practically never gets tired, and always pops right back up on her feet when you think you've finished her. Not to mention, they're all magic! They get it from their mother; that witch is just like them. Those girls aren't rainbows, cupcakes, and kittens. They. Are. Fiends.''

''Fiends? Those fluffy-''

''Fiends, I tell you!'' Scarsnout snarled, spooking Magna Charge a little. Seapoodles? Seapoodles were monsters?

''Well, Poochie didn't seem evil.'' Magna Charge commented.

''Seem is the key word.'' Scarsnout then flicked his ears. He focused onto the stairs, grimacing. ''You should go check on your friend. Before it's too late...''

Magna Charge directed his head towards the stairs, warily. For all he knew, Scarsnout could've been lying. But still, Stink Bomb had been gone for a while now, and the other Swappers probably didn't even want to go looking for him. So, he eventually hopped off his seat, going towards the stairs.

''Heeey...Magsss. Where you goin', Mags?'' Doom Stone slurred, abruptly awakening at the Ultron's absense, pointing his sword. ''You're gonna miss out on all the..f-fun, Mags. Maggyyy...''

''Wild skunk chase.'' Magna Charge replied.

''Wild skunk chase? I wanna go with-''

''No time to talk, Doom. But stay alert while I'm gone.'' Magna Charge was hopping up the stairs, since he couldn't exactly dash over them. He heard Doom Stone murmur, but it was indistinct, and the Ultron didn't pay much attention to it.

Although, it didn't take long until he heard wails. ''Stop! Staph!''

Magna Charge could easily recognize Stink Bomb's whimpers, but the giggles that were after it weren't familar. But they belonged to girls, that's all he knew. Magna Charge, now in midst of the hallway, was instantly frightened. Before he could react, he heard Stink Bomb's laughter. What was going on? There was really only one way to find out. He promptly bolted, skidding to a hasty halt. Magna Charge raised his Magnet Cannon. Then, he thought for a moment.

Blasting down the door wasn't the best idea possible. What would happen if he accidently hit Stink Bomb, or just another innocent in the room? Besides, it would be kind of to annihilate a perfect door. Still prepared to fire, he grabbed its knob, hurriedly opening it. Stink Bomb wasn't being tortured; he was being tickled! Poochie and her sisters immediately took notice of Magna Charge, while Stink Bomb was still on the verge of dying from laughter. Poochie playfully punched Stink Bomb in the arm, much to Magna Charge's alarm. It had looked a bit like hostility to the robot. Stink Bomb, rubbing the spot where he had been struck, finally took notice of Magna Charge. He yelped in surprise.

''Stink Bomb?'' Magna Charge asked.

Stink Bomb's face was practically painted in makeup and his nails were a vibrant pink. ''Uhhh..Hi, Magna.'' he waved. ''...You like?'' he questioned, showing the Ultron his shiny, pink nails with a bashful grin. He was sharing the chair in the middle with Poochie, who had an unbelievable smile on her face.

''Woah, an Ultron!'' Cookie jolted up from her chair, mesmerized. She started to pace around Magna Charge, studying him. ''I've got to say, you've got some amazing technology.''

Magna Charge couldn't ignore that. ''Why, thank you.''

''No. Thank you for being so awesome. Cooool, you've got a blaster! You've got to try it out, you've just go to.'' Cookie then backed up, ''Fire at will. Oooh, I've always wanted to try this!''

''I don't think that's safe.''

''It's not supposed to. It's for science. I'll survive...Probably.''

Magna Charge lowered his weapon, shaking his head at the Seapoodle.

''Aww, fine. I shall keep studying you, though, and not from a distance.''

Poochie was already on to doodling a picture of Magna Charge in her diary, slipping her tongue out in determination. ''Stay still...Almost done...'' she said, clenching a red crayon in her hand. ''How do you spell...Ullltron?'' Poochie started to nip at the crayon, bewildered.

''Magna Charge, meet Candy, Cookie and Poochie.'' Stink Bomb introduced them all.

''Bonjour.'' Poochie smiled, still focusing on her drawing.

''Greetings...'' Cookie tapped on Magna Charge's head with a claw, testing.

''Hiya!'' Candy exclaimed.

''I've trained them a little of ninjustsu, so, they like to be called kunoichi now.'' Stink Bomb said.

''Hai, Sensei.'' Poochie scribbled some words with a black crayon, nodding. ''Did I do that right?'' she added.

''They even call me Sensei! Isn't that great?''

''Uh, yes, but aren't they pira-'' Magna Charge started.

''Correction, we're bandits.'' Cookie interupted.

''Adorable, little bandits! Speakin' of banditin'. How 'bout I trade you this crayon for one of your gears. It looks valuable.'' Candy yipped. She held up a pink crayon in one hand, while a fallen gear of Magna Charge's was in the other. How did she even get that? ''Pwetty please?" Candy whimpered.

''Give me that.'' Cookie snatched the gear from her. She started to inspect it, smirking. ''You don't mind if I borrow this, do you? It's for science.''

Poochie was promptly alarmed. ''Heheh, we're good bandits. Good bandits who definately don't steal anything.'' she sheepishly snickered.

''Poochie, good bandits aren't a thing. That doesn't even make sense. That would make us...Anti-Heroes, or something. You read comics, right? Then you should know more about this kind of stuff.'' Cookie shook her head. Poochie looked towards Magna Charge, giving him a wary smile for protection.

''Ah, don't worry, they're not on The Cardmaster's side.'' Stink Bomb reassured. ''Right?''

''Nope, we're just in it for the riches.'' Poochie responded.

''And fame!'' Candy replied.

''See?'' Stink Bomb turned back to Magna Charge. ''Well, it's not much, but at least they're not trying to kill us. And they have cupcakes! Who could turn down cupcakes?!''

Naivety proved to be just as strong as his stench. But, Magna Charge didn't want to interfere with the lovebirds. It was rude to just attack a girl out of no where...unless it was Kaos' Mother, of course.

''Uh, that's great, Stink Bomb.'' Magna Charge started to analyze the trio of Seapoodles, his pupil darting.

They didn't seem very menacing. What type of villain would have sparkles everywhere on the floor, nail polish, and perfume? Poochie even stamped a unicorn sticker onto Stink Bomb's forehead, one with rainbows flying out of it's backside! It hadn't made sense to Magna at all.

He stopped confusing his circuits, turning his attention back to Stink Bomb and Poochie. It wasn't that hard to see that Poochie had grown fond of him. She was actually stroking that smelly tail of his, it in her lap and everything. Like a dog, any one who petted his tail would be on Stink Bomb's automatic friends list.

The Swampskunk surely trusted her, and surely liked the tail rubs since he was actually purring in a strange skunk way. No one ever really stroked his tail, because you never knew when ever you could send off a trigger of scent glands. But it seemed to comfort him a lot. She was rather close to him, not even recoiling at the fumes that rolled off of his pelt. Frankly, Magna Charge never even heard Stink Bomb make those noises before. Looking even closer at the makeup, Magna Charge could see a smudged lipstick mark on Stink Bomb's cheek.

''So, do you want to join us for tea time?'' Stink Bomb questioned.

Magna Charge nodded, ''That's fine with me.'' He didn't have anything better to do and someone needed to protect Stink Bomb. The Treacherous Trio were indeed bandits; they probably had some tricks up their sleeves.

''But first...'' Poochie smirked, almost deviously. ''You've got to go through initiation.''

* * *

''Fools.'' Ail cackled. The old witch was staring down at her cauldron, enjoying the_ show_. Her victims had been totally unaware that she was actually stalking them, The Cardmaster, the Swappers, and her own children, all thanks to a little spell of hers.

Shadeskin stalked into the cottage, mewling. He shook his fur off, fluffing his wet, rained on feathers out. The sphinx leader then looked up at Master Ail, who had been totally intrigued at the images shown in the glowing, green liquid.

''Ah, perfect timing. I left a seat for you, Shady.'' Ail still hadn't looked up from the cauldron.

Shadeskin padded over to her, locating the stepstool beside the sorcerer. He clambered up onto it and started to peek into the cauldron as well. ''What's going on now?''

''He's sending that twerp called Chester back out again.''

''Didn't he learn from the first time?''

''He never learns, Shadeskin. None of them ever learn.''

''What about that spotty fellow? The assassin?''

''Drunk as a skunk. And speaking of which, I think it's about time to change the romance channel.'' Ail then closed her eyes. Soon enough, the old images in the cauldron had been replaced with new images.

Shadeskin was in awe, snickering a bit. ''Oh, Master, how do you do it?''

''I'm amazing, that's how. Now shush cat, I've got to see what Senpai Mouff-Mouff and my Poochie are up to.''

''What?'' Shadeskin asked.

Ail cast him a petrifying glare, instantly making the sphinx shut up. The raven turned back to her show, ''Oh, look, they're having a tea party! W-with another one of those Skylanders. Looks like they're having fun. I'll have to spare those two Skylanders, just for keeping my wittle pups company.'' Abruptly, her connection had cut off. The pictures had faded, bubbles taking their place. She screeched in rage.

''Where did it go, Master? Is it missing?''

''It only stays for a few minutes, Shadestep!''

''You are acting like it's never happened before.''

''I wanted to see them kiss! You don't understand!''

Shadestep blinked, cocking his head to a side. Ail stiffened up, veering her head away from the sphinx. ''Ignore it.'' she hissed at Shadestep.

''Already forgotten.''

''Good. Or else I would have to kill you. Heheh! I'm kidding, of course...Or am I?'' Ail guffawed, producing her cleaver out of the magic in her blistered hand. ''You know, Shadeskin, I've got an itching for creating some madness. Skylands just isn't the same without it. We should do something about it.'' She was just pointing the thick knife at the sphinx, making his wings tremble. Ail simpered, ''Are you thinking about what I'm thinking, Shady?''

''Destruction, devastation, and deception?''

''Precisely.'' Ail nodded. Shadeskin meowed in relief. Ail started to run her talons through his fur, making him purr. Shadeskin smirked, ''Who are we attacking?''

''What kind of question is that? It's not who are we attacking; it's what are we attacking? And the answer to that question is all of Skylands, of course. Alas, evil plans come to great masterminds who rest. We'll discuss this later, darling.'' Ail soothed. She clacked her beak in distaste, threatening Shadestep with her cleaver. ''Now shoo, you fleabitten rat! I need my sleep.''

* * *

Crook swiveled his head, left to right. Finding that the coast was clear, he tiptoed across the room, 'sneaking' past the several pirates at the bar._ I am stealthy_, he thought. _I am stealth, absolutely no one sees me__._

Although, he was telling himself lies, it made him feel better about himself. Right now, he was on a mission, one that could prove himself worthy to The Cardmaster. The sly fox had already located the Skylanders, but getting to them stealthily would be difficult. He crouched, getting low to the ground, before slowly scuttling over to them. He was searching for one particular Skylander at the moment. With the certain Mermasquid in sights, Crook got onto his feet and brushed himself off, leering. He scampered up onto the seat next to Wash Buckler, who was staring off into space. "Wash Buckler, right?" the fox asked.

''Whah?'' Wash Buckler looked around.

''Over here.''

''Oh, I knew that.'' Wash Buckler's eyes were lazily trying to close up. "Yep, best cap 'n the seas ever seen. But w-w-who...the heck are you?" Wash Buckler drawled, gesturing a bottle that still had some liquid in it at the fox.

"Name's Crook." the fox replied.

"Cook? W-why do they call ya that...? You look nothin' like Ghost Roaster. " Wash Buckler asked, before trying to guzzle his drink but instead poured his beverage onto himself.

"No, it's Crook." Crook answered, his ear flicking impatiently.

"What do you want...C-creek?" Wash Buckler blinked his eyes, wearily.

"A game of cards. You wouldn't mind playing a simple game, would you?" Crook smiled.

"I-I have no idea what your talkin' about, Mister Hook...B-but I don't say no to no challenge. You hear me, Rook? I'm da cap'n here!" Wash Buckler's had started tipping over onto his face, much to Crook's amusement.

''Excellent...'' Crook grinned. ''Oh, and you should probably bring your friends too.''

''Ookay...Wait..what friends?''


	13. Bad Beginnings

I'm _baaaaack_! And this took waaay too long. Oh well, hope it was worth the wait. :D

* * *

Stubbs was curled up, mumbling to himself in the Healers' Tunnel. It was battle day, and he couldn't go out to see his friends fight! Or, you know, be brutally slain by the claws of the manticore, but at least it would still be entertaining. He looked towards his mentor, Apep, who was slumbering on a mound of crispy leaves, hot sand, and several, rocky pebbles. With every single snort and grunt, the healer's nostrils flared up. His eyes, although he was certainly asleep, were slightly open, hauntingly. It had happened every time he went to sleep and always sent shivers down Stubbs' spine. It was almost like the healer was dead, but...alive.

It had been a slow, work day for both of them. With no dragons to heal, what was there to even do? Sleep? Apparently. Vathek had appointed the little, copper dragon to work for Apep, to be an apprentice. However, of course, Stubbs didn't exactly approve of his occupation. He wanted to be out in the battlefield, killing dragons left and right, dancing on the bodies of his foes. But sadly, for now, until he proved himself worthy to the King, he would have to be the worthless healer's sidekick.

_Squeak, squeak._

Stubbs raised his head. What was that? He sniffed, darting his eyes around. A little mouse was across the room, twitching its whiskers and washing its face with tiny paws. Stubbs, like any Pit Dragon, was already alert, crouching into attack mode. Like a dog, he wiggled his rump and pounced on the mouse. Luckily, it was already scurrying underneath his legs, quickly.

''Stop horseplaying, child, this isn't the place for that.'' Apep grumbled.

Stubbs continued to chase after his prey. ''I'm just having fun!''

''Your fun is exceptionally loud.'' Apep was fully awake now, lashing his thin, whip-like tail. ''And extremely, extremely annoying.''

''Shh! I need silence; you've got to be stealthy when catching stuff!''

''Funny, you're not the only one who needs silence.''

Stubbs rolled his eyes. With a enlightened warble, he batted at the mouse, like a feline. Unfortunately, the mouse skittered away, squeaking. ''Hey!'' the apprentice exclaimed. Stubbs, still dashing about, ended up ramming his snout into the wall of the tunnel. Apep snorted in amusement.

''Owwwww.'' Stubbs rubbed his nose. He wiggled his scabby snout, snuffling.

But the mouse certainly wasn't out of danger just yet. Apep had lifted it with a talon, grasping it by its tail. Stubbs skidded to a halt and kicked up some clouds of sand, sliding. ''Apep, heh-hey, t-that's my mouse.''

Apep was licking the mouse as if he were a child with a delectable lollipop. He started to twist his tongue around its head. ''Oh, I had know idea.''

''Aaaaapep!'' Stubbs whined.

Apep continued to tease. ''Too bad there's not another mouse around here. What a terrible, terrible pity.''

''Aaaaapep!'' Stubbs stamped his feet in protest. Apep showed his greenish-tinted fangs in response before biting into the mouse's flesh. Almost immediately, its skin started to bubble from the bacteria in his acid-infested teeth, and with a great, wobbly, shaky twitch, the mouse fell limp, its squeaking turning quieter and quieter. Just like the King, Apep certainly did have some nasty tricks up his sleeves...Or rather in his bite, which didn't exactly feel like tiptoeing through flowers on a beautiful, sunny day throughout the heavens. Instead, it hurt like hell! Nasty indeed, because one simple nibble could send burning, green ooze through the simplest of creatures. Apep was different; unlike other dragons who breathed fire or ice, he had the ability to spew acid. The venomous liquid was able to burn through flesh in the matter of seconds. The poor mouse's wound bubbled, sizzling like a barbecue. Apep recoiled at the slabs of gooey, steaming meat. And then Apep, making sure Stubbs was still watching, ripped the mouse to shreds, fur flying, bones crunching, purposefully and obnoxiously loud. Finished, he got back into his sleeping position.

''You ate all of it already?!'' Stubbs hissed. ''Blind bat!''

''Seems to me like I'm not the only_ blind bat_ here...'' Apep flicked his tongue out. He closed his eyes. ''There's leftovers, hatchling.''

Stubbs snuffled at the white patches of fur on the ground, narrowing his eyes in dismay. ''Fur isn't leftovers.''

''It's the remains of the mouse, is it not?''

Some smoke arose from Stubbs' nostrils. He stomped over to Apep, ''Hey!''

Nothing.

But he wasn't going to give up just yet. ''Aaaaapep!'' he shouted. Apep turned his head away from the pestering hatchling with a grunt. Stubbs continued, ''Apep!'' He thwacked the elder's snout. This time, his response was the terrifying, rattling thrum of the dark spines on his back, a violent hiss, and a spray of acid. Apep yelped, quickly dodging out of harm's way. ''You didn't have to do _that_!''

''Leave.'' Apep croaked.

''I'm goin'! I'm goin'!''

''Bring back some herbs.''

Stubbs flapped out of the tunnel, grumbling. _Herbs? Like I have time for that,_ he thought. Herbs were definitely needed, though. Or some bandages, at least. Their last patient hadn't gone very...well. But it was cool! According to Apep, the dragon had an infectious bite from something with lots of teeth. Lots and lots of teeth. Blood was everywhere that night and after hours of poking and prodding...**Pop!** Out came a weird, squirmy, wormy thing! Before they could capture it, it had gone, no where to be found. But it was still so cool! And the patient was babbling funny things the whole time! Humor at its finest!

_Click clack._

Stubbs flinched. That noise was all too familiar. He whirled around and found himself face-to-face with the Stalkers, the King's trusty, dark assassins, clad in mysterious armor. Even their claws had armor.

The leader growled dismissively at Stubbs and stepped over the hatchling. Soon, all of the Stalkers were stepping over him, one of the more stockier ones actually stomping on his tail. Stubbs gritted his teeth at his bruised tail. _Well, there goes another un-battle scar. _Stubbs had several 'un-battle' scars, although most of them were only bruisings on his scales. His only really, really bad damage was the shiner on his schnoz. After the last dragon stepped over him, the leader nodded to all of them, and without another noise, they lifted into the air.

''Hmmm...'' Stubbs rubbed his chin with his claw. Following them was immediately Stubbs' new motive. He lifted up into the air as well, a little clumsier, though. All he would have to do would be quiet. That was simple, right? They wouldn't even know he was there. He would be stealthy, just like the same Stalkers he was trailing after. Stubbs gazed down at the earth. A little figure was bolting across the land, hurriedly. A groundhog!

Stubbs grinned. He hovered and looked towards the Stalkers and then to the groundhog and then back to the Stalkers. What should he choose? The Stalkers were always out doing something. Maybe it was something fun? But then again, it could be something really, really boring. And the fat, running rodent looked more tempting than the chase after the dragons. With a smile, he dove down to the groundhog, and started to chase. ''You can't run away for ever! Fear me, I am your shadow, you tasty, little mor-''

The next thing he knew he was plummeting down a huge hole. How didn't he notice the giant, gaping crater? Food was simply the greatest weakness of a Pit Dragon. With several tumbles, he screeched, until finally sliding to a halt. He looked around, ''Wow.''

According to all of the legends he'd learned from Apep, monstrous worms had lurked beneath the ground. This had certainly seemed like something from one of those stories. Skeletons of other creatures were thrown about in different places; some of them were still even decaying. Stubbs had recognized most of the corpses as dragons, Pit Dragons. While others would think it was horrific and terrifying or maybe even disgusting, Stubbs was intrigued. ''Cool!'' He had never been outside of the Pit for very long, so this had been a surprise to him. Maybe he would actually come face-to-face with one of those monster worms. That would be awesome! Sure, he would probably die, but at least he'd die facing a deadly, rare creature! The place completely stunk of death, awfully. However, it hadn't bothered Stubbs, not at all. In fact, it was kind of welcoming, smelling like home.

Stubbs, still shaken by awe, bounded about. ''A little exploration never hurt anyone.'' He laughed in delight, like a kid in a candy store, and he trotted over to the more darker areas of the hole. It was a known fact that darker places were always scarier. Scary was exactly what he wanted. But scary wasn't exactly what he got...There was a nest, surrounded by bones and other decaying matter. Alas, what was inside of it was what mattered...

Eggs. Not worm eggs, but dragon eggs. They were mottled with speckles of dark brown, embellishing the tannish surface. Stubbs, like any curious, little dragon, was immediately intrigued. ''Woah...'' He looked around for a moment. The last thing Stubbs wanted was to be caught by a royal guard. With the coast clear, sporting a smile, Stubbs padded towards the nest. He placed his paws on the rim and started to nudge to eggs with his injured nose, carefully. ''Wonder whose these belong to...'' Stubbs tilted his head.

There were tons of possibilities. With all of the dragons in the Pit, it would be difficult just trying to make a simple inferance about the parents. But Stubbs wasn't very bothered by that. He was only happy that he would have some new friends to play with. Or rather, tussle with, since playing was looked down upon by Vathek, athough some hatchlings did it anyway. It didn't matter how young a dragon was to the King; even the smallest of the batch would be forced into some sort of lifethreatening task.

Stubbs contiued to prod at the eggs, delightfully. ''I'll name you Gash, and you'll be Fang. Augh, Stubbs, you can do better than that. How about you be Destroyer, and you be Doom? No...Um, how about...'' The young dragon's ramble had been interuppted by puffs of smoky breath and a shadow that loomed over him. ''Crap...'' Stubbs mumbled. The last thing he had wanted to happen did indeed happen.

''What are you doing here?'' Pyralis asked, flexing his claws, viciously.

Stubbs whirled around and began to stutter. ''I-I was...I-I was e-exploring! Yeah! Please don't kill me!''

''You're supposed to be with Apep.'' Pyralis snapped his jaws at the little dragon. ''Why shouldn't I, filth?''

''I know, I know! I got bored, and then I ran off and then I-'' Stubbs paused. With a mischievous grin, he stared at Pyralis. ''Whose eggs are these, Pyralis?'' And with that, Pyralis tightened up. He didn't hiss, or growl, or snarl. The ferocious dragon just stood there.

''Hmm?'' Stubbs asked. ''I'm waiting...''

Pyralis sighed, gravely, ''I swear, if you go out and blab about this...Predicament, you'll wish you had never hatched. Understand? I won't be merciful.''

''Understood. And I don't blab.''

''Blither, babble, I do not care, sprat. Just shut up and listen.'' Pyralis spat, making Stubbs freeze up a little. The red dragon sat down, keeping a watchful eye on the nest. ''Those are my eggs.''

''Wait...what? Your eggs? As in, you're female? You're a girl?!''

''Stop squealing! I am not a dragoness! What I mean is...W-what I mean is that those eggs belong to Amethyst and I.''

''Oh, so those were the weird cooing noises I was hearing. Ooooo, Pyralissss. Tsk, tsk. You're gonna get in trouble.'' Stubbs drawled like a mischievous Mabu child in the midst of tattletaling. ''I can already hear the King already. Pyrali_ssss_, you've disobeyed my direct order_ssss_. The_sss_e egg_sss_ _ssss_hall be exterminated at once. And then all of your royal guard buddies come in and crush the eggs-SMASH! And then you're being held back by chains and the Silvers are surrounding-''

Pyralis flared his nostrils and narrowed his violent eyes, puffing out some black smog in fury, ''You would be quiet if you knew what was good for you.'' Stubbs zipped his lips with a talon, innocently looking at the goldenclad dragon.

''As I was-''

''Wait, wait a second, Pyra. I know I shouldn't be talking and all but...So that's why you two would always fly away together? I thought you both hated each other! You two were always fighting and stuff!''

''My aggressiveness pleases the King. I'm the High Commander of the Royal Guards, my ideal of love is quite different from the measly creatures in the Mainland. That is simply how a true dragon courts his mate. The weak will be unloved, while the strong will be cherished. And I couldn't ignore such a vibrant, bold warrior like her. Her scales are like stars and her smile warms me up inside...Like..like fire.''

Stubbs blinked. He had never seen Pyralis act like this. It was like he was a different dragon. ''Yeaah...She is pretty sexy.''

Pyralis gave him an evil eye, flicking his tail. ''N-nevermind this petty conversation. You're supposed to be with Apep. The old dragon probably needs something for you to do.''

''Hey, hey, Pyralis, what if I could stay and watch your eggs? You know, keep 'em some company.''

''No.''

''But-''

''That answer was final.'' Pyralis snarled. He shoed the little dragon away with his claw, stomping off to the nest. The royal guard curled his tail around the bundle of eggs. ''Now, if there aren't any more irritating questions, please leave.''

''How do you expect to keep them a secret? You can't stay here all day.'' Stubbs bounded towards the new father. ''Someone else will find out about them, sooner or later. It's just a matter of time. Who knows what will-'' He was cut off short, for Pyralis shot a quick burst of fire at the young dragon, who immediately scrambled and flapped his wings, retreating up and out of the hole. ''That was close...''

* * *

Amethyst stalked the skies, flying about. Food was everything to the Pit Dragons. They were always getting new, young mouths to feed, so supplies were often limited. She was simply following her leader's orders. Slaughtering so-called sentient were no big deal. Amethyst needed food just as much as the next dragon, well, she and the arriving hatchlings, that is. Vathek was indifferent about little, baby dragons. Because they couldn't fend on their own, he believed they were as useless as dirt. But, Vathek needed all the dragons he could if he wanted to take over Dragons' Peak, slay his brother and Flavius, and get his rightful place to the throne. Vathek was still very alive, although seemingly frozen by stone. Just like the Skylanders, he too could react while being a statue. Fortunately, he was not stone in the Pit. He was a wispy, ghost-like form of himself, and soon he would return back to normal. Vathek had been exiled several times. But when Ramses found out he wouldn't quit, he contacted Master Eon, who drove Vathek out into the Outlands. It was there where Vathek found the Pit. Back then, it was nothing but a group of rogue dragons, constantly fighting each other with absolutely no order for their scarce resource: food. Vathek was much larger than them, due to being from Dragons' Peak. To the rogues, he was rather frightening, which soon earned him his glorious leadership. The wyvern taught them Dragon Law, the new and improved version of it. Just like the Peak Dragons, the Pit Dragons had rules to follow:

_Always kill your enemies._

_Fight to the death._

_Do whatever the King says, or perish._

Yes, that was simply it. There were no other rules. A dragon could kill another dragon and get away with it. Frankly, Vathek didn't care. When the Pit Dragons had heard about his 'demise'', they had immediately swore revenge against Dragons' Peak, to please their leader. Darting her eyes down, Amethyst noticed a herd of fluffy beings.

Sheep.

The fluffy oafs were grazing, peacefully. They were the perfect size, big and fat, with tons of delicious meat. But, they weren't exactly exotic. Pit Dragons took a liking to more...Sentient creatures to feast on. The dragons had rebelled against Dragon Law, unless it was Vathek's Dragon Law, which were totally different from the original. For instance, many, many years ago, Dragons' Peak's inhabitants had made an oath to never feed on their so-called 'allies'. Vathek, however, believed that dragons were strong, supreme beings that were supposed to be predators. Pit Dragons didn't care where their food came from. As long as it was bloody, fleshy, and raw, they were happy. But the sheep would have to do. At the moment, surprisingly, she was in Cloudbreak, so the sheep looked a bit different from the ones in the main regions of Skylands. Vathek wasn't the only one who knew tricks...

One sheep wasn't doing anything, standing around as if it actually wanted to be eaten. That seemed like a easy kill. With haste, Amethyst swooped down. Before all the sheep could flee away, bleating in fear, the dragoness had crushed two beneath her talons. She bellowed, quite loudly, making no only the sheep, but a few more animals in the area squeal and dash or fly off. Birds frantically zipped away from the mighty dragoness, which made her smile. Amethyst, with a hiss, promptly started to rip one of the slain sheep apart. As she tried to disembowel it with her teeth, she realized that something was completely off about this ungulate. Wires dangled from Amethyst's maw, sparking. What exactly was she biting into? Some robot sheep? Amethyst promptly spat out the wires, gagging at their dreadful, mechanical flavor. Before she knew it, some sort of net was shot out of the robotic creature, wrapped around her.

She screeched, kicking about in terror. This net was tougher than it looked; it wasn't even breaking open at Amethyst's sharp claws. She couldn't breathe fire, she didn't have any other weapons besides her teeth, claws, and tail, but they were no use. ''Splendid,'' she mumbled to herself, ''Absolutely perfect.'' Who was supposed to save her? Sheep? The trap was starting to scathe her now, rubbing up against her skin, making the great dragoness wince. She wasn't going to get out without someone else helping her. But who was even around to do so? Something answered her calls, a miracle, and skysurfer abruptly crash landed, making just as much noise as her. Amethst froze. For now, the dragoness would have to drop her aggressive act. But first...With a small, forceful grunt, her scales shifted, turning green. Leaves formed on her head, slinking down to the very tip of her tail. Vines protruded from her back and her horns became thorny, adopting a yellow color.

Amethyst was now a Life Dragon. She rarely turned into Life Dragons, but such planty, lifeloving creatures wouldn't necessarily be considered a threat to the average, clueless Skylander. No one truly knew how Amethyst did it, or what type of dragon she even was, but the other warriors believed that she had been altered by Spell Punks as an egg, created for doom. And lots of **doom**, knowing how the Spell Punks were on Kaos' side. Amethyst didn't even know what she was. But it hadn't really mattered to her. As long as she had a extraordinary talent that no one else had, she was happy.

Boom Jet lumbered out from the foliage without his rocket, brushing himself off, Skylander had wandered off from the pirate bar and surprisingly seemed to know his way back to camp. ''Could've gone worse...'' he shrugged with a cheery smile, taking notice towards Amethyst, who tried to hide her face with her leafy wings. She took a tiny peek, and Boom Jet was on the ground, for his rocket had abruptly came out of the blue and rammed into him. The thing was programmed like that, always to follow its rider.

Amethyst smirked at what had looked like pain, although Boom Jet wasn't even hurt at all, and acted as if it had happened all the time. ''Oh my, that looked bad. Absolutely dreadful...Are you okay?"

''Yeah...I've been in worse situations. Ever got your hand stuck in a pickle jar?''

''I-I'm afraid don't have hands, Skylander.''

''Oh, yeah, right, you have those talon-y things. My bad. Wow, you've got yourself pretty trapped there, huh? Um, I'm not that good with this trap-and-release stuff, that's for Trap Shadow, but I'll see what I can do.''

''Why, thank you, Skylander.''

''No problemo.'' Boom Jet grasped the net, analyzing it. ''Did a spotted cat do this to you, perhaps? One with a funny accent? Happens to have a name dealing with poking?''

Amethyst only blinked. What was this thing talking about? She had never even seen this type of creature. Was the Skylander a primate of some sort? Or a deformed Mabu...with fangs? And why were his goggles blinking?!_ Uugggh_. ''N-not that I know of. You see, there were sheep around here-''

''Ah, sheep. Were you torching them? I've got a friend who** loves** to torch! He's purple.''

Amethyst couldn't stop herself from uttering a growl. ''The Purple Dragon of Legend...'' she hissed. Just about every Pit Dragon wanted to tear the little pipsqueak up into bite-sized pieces. So what if Purple Dragons were rare and majestic, this one was just an agonizing nuisance. Like The Cardmaster had explained to all of them, he was the Skylanders' leader. But different teams had different leaders, such as Tree Rex from the Giants, and Wash Buckler from the SWAP Force, also with Blast Zone as a second-in-command. And the members in the team all had unique jobs, despite all being warriors.

''Purple Dragon of Legend?''

''The Purple Dragon that goes by the name of Spyro, leader of the Skylanders. He...rules over you?''

''Yeah, all of us.''

Amethyst flared her nostrils. No wonder all the Skylanders were annoying; they had been trained under that stupid dragon! He didn't seem like a leader at all. Vathek was a great leader, not him. ''All of you?''

''Yep. Oooh, I've got an idea!''

Amethyst rose a brow.

Boom Jet drifted backwards, smiling. He closed one eye(or goggle) and raised a missile, focusing. ''Just stand still...''

Stand still? Amethyst's eyes widened in alarm. ''Skylander?''

''Don't worry, I do this all the time to my friends.''

The bomb in his hand had grown oddly large, making Amethyst stiffen in fear. She flinched at its sudden growth, ''Skylander?'' Was he insane?! There was no stopping the Skylander now. He had thrown the missile, which instantly exploded on contact with the net. Amethyst uttered a surprised yelp, claws on her eyes.

Boom Jet laughed. ''Heheheh, you're okay.'' He flew back towards the dragoness, who was shivering.

She finally removed her claws off her eyes. In a hurry, she checked herself, frightened. Her scales had been slightly singed, but that wasn't anything new. Amethyst sighed in relief.

''My name's Boom Jet. What's yours?''

Boom Jet? What a silly name. ''I'm...'' Amethyst then grimaced. She hadn't even thought of getting this far. _Think of something life-y, think, think, _Amethyst's mind was growling with thoughts. ''I-I-I'm...Grapevine.'' _Auugh, that's not a good name! I don't even have little fruits on me! It makes no sense!_

''Hm, Grapevine, I like that. Nice meeting you, Grapevine.'' Boom Jet started to leave, still with that giddy grin.

No, he couldn't leave now. She needed more information about Spyro and the other Skylanders! ''Uh, Boom Jet, wait up!'' She staggered up and dashed after the weird Skylander, hurriedly. ''I want to meet your friends!''

* * *

Sunburn parted his beak in a yawn. He fluttered his tired eyes, heaving a miserable sigh. A flight patrol had been requested by Spyro, who woke them up in the middle of the night. Apparently, a part of Lost Islands had been nearly destroyed by mysterious dragons...Or so-called 'shadows' by locals. Either way, it led to several scares for the other villages. Soon enough, they too had been attacked. It didn't seem like the invaders knew what they were doing. They were just destroying things, for no apparent reason. But they certainly weren't going to stop without a good buttkicking from the Skylanders. Unfortunately, Sunburn had to be their Emerald for the day. He had to receive messages from King Ramses, and rush back to the others to tell them all about it. A storm was starting to pick up. Flying was already difficult for the hybrid, rain and winds would just make it even worse. But he wasn't facing the hardships alone. Although, he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.

Sparx fluttered under the sleepy phoenix, protected from the rain once more. ''_Sooo, wat d'you think 'bout da bad dragons, Sunburn?_''

Sunburn grimaced thoughtfully. What _did_ he think? Dragon attacks surely didn't just happen out of no where. Rogue dragons did indeed rampage a few times before, but even that was quite rare. Someone had to be behind the attacks, right? _Ugh_, Sunburn thought, _all of this thinking is Drobot's job. _A magnificent creature like Sunburn had no time for pondering. And at the time, he needed sleep more than anything else. Or rather, beauty sleep. ''The bad dragons are trying to get their point across. They probably think they're better than us...''

''_Dummies._''

''Yeah. Down right dummies.''

''_D'you think a villain behind dis?_''

''Probably. They act like they've got nothing better to do.''

''_Dummies._''

''Fools is more like it.''

''_Wat 'bout Vathek? Whirlwind say she see him in bad dream._''

''Vathek?''

It was definitely clear that Whirlwind and Flashwing were both suffering from visions about the villainous wyvern's schemes. Sunburn hadn't heard much of it, since Voodood and Spyro were both keeping most of it under wraps. But that didn't stop Flashwing from blithering about it. Just a day ago a group of Skylanders, who were supposed to be on a mission, had been sitting around the gem dragoness, who was telling tales and such. But the question was: were these dreams real or not? Cynder continued to avert questions whenever Spyro asked her about the curse. It was quite obvious that she was in the midst of trying to stuff away childhood memories. She would always clam up at the mentioning of Malefor. Sometimes she would stay quiet throughout the whole conversation, other times she would just hiss and walk off. Pressuring Cynder wasn't a good idea. But if a Skylander did wanted to get pummeled repeatedly by metal claws and stinging volts of lighting, Cynder was the best option to annoy.

Sunburn finally spoke up, ''I told you already. Vathek's frozen; there's no way he can escape.''

''_But wat if he did?_''

''He won't.''

''_Wellll, wat if it was Malef-_''

''Ssshshsh...''

''Wat?!''

Sunburn's feathers bristled uneasily. He started to hover. ''Something's wrong here...''

''Oh, yeah, yeah! Ya mean da big shadowy thingies flying towards us? Hey, dare's the others! Wow, they're fightin'! You gotta go fight too!''

''What?!'' Sunburn echoed the dragonfly. ''Why are they all the way out here?!'' _Nevermind that_ now, Sunburn,_ you're a Skylander. Just go help them. _Sunburn, with a triumphant cry, zipped into battle, Sparx trailing after him.

''Sunburn!'' Spyro exclaimed. His voice was of pure relief, accompanied by a joyous, gummy grin. ''Glad you could make it!''

But of course, Cynder had something to nag about. ''It's about time you got here!'' She skillfully dodged a vicious swipe from the shadowy attackers with a quick yelp. The 'shadows' were literally drenched in darkness. Their armor was a gritty color, like billowing, vast thunderclouds. Their tails were adorned with a spade, like most dragons, but they were devastatingly pointy, tipped with blood. With scales painted as black as night, they certainly were trying to conceal themselves. Emphasis on trying, because if they happened to step into the sunlight, even a Molekin would be able to see them. But Sunburn wasn't exactly focused on them; his friends were his main concern.

They were all fatigued, battered and breathing so hard that he swore that even a deep sleeping Giant could hear them. But they continued to attack. Drobot was circling around like a lost vulture, above the battlefield. He was firing lasers, much to the other dragons annoyance. They tried to attack him, but we being held back by the others who stalled them with other attacks. Drobot was definitely up to something, though. Sonic Boom called to the Tech Skylander, ''Any weaknesses?''

''Blind spots? Targets? Anything would help right about now, Drobot!'' Scratch exclaimed, latched onto the tail of one of the brutes.

''**I AM TRYING, BUT MY CIRCUITS HAVE BEEN-**''

A flash of lightning made everyone, even the shadow dragons, freeze. Amid the boom of thunder, they were greeted by raucous bellows and roars.

Backup was coming.

Flavius was in the lead. But instead of his usual, friendly smile, there was glinting fangs. Instead of his flourishing happiness, he was surging with rage. Instead of his goofy ''woohooo'', there was-

''**ATTACK! **Teach these...ur...fools a thing or two! Yeah! And help the Skylanders!''

The shadow dragons were immediately alarmed, but when receiving a hiss from who Sunburn presumed to be the leader, they charged to war, without any battle cries of the sort. Compared to the ferocious, rowdy Dragons' Peak warriors, they were as quiet as mice.

''Oh, thank the Portals...'' Sonic Boom sighed.

''You heard Flavius...'' Spyro turned around to his own warriors. ''Let's teach these fools a thing or two! For Skylands!'' Spyro triumphantly exclaimed, with his infamous puffed out chest, cocky smirk, and spurt of flames. With powerful battle cries, they thundered into the fight.

''These are the creeps that have been trying to cause trouble in the Peak!'' Flavius bellowed, kicking one of the shadow dragons in the chest and ducking below the quick swipe of metal claws. He whirled around, shooting a fireball at one of his attackers, who madly screeched in response. In a split second, the black dragon had pounced onto his enemy, biting at armor. In fact, they were all ganging up on the red dragon. The younger ones were busy playing_ monkey in the middle _with Spyro, slapping him around with their tails, gruffly cackling, while another was in the middle. The middle player, leaping up to the purple dragon, yanked on the Skylander's wing, shaking him like a ragdoll. The other Skylanders had their own problems, so helping their own leader had been out of the question. Even though there wasn't many of the enemies, it was still a struggle fighting against them. Everything was a blur. At the time, Sunburn was being chased after one of the larger dragons, looking as if he was seemingly running away from the brawl. It had became clear that this attacker had been a strategist, trying to run Sunburn away from the other Skylanders to ensure an easier fight. Sunburn had decided that he wasn't going to be fooled that easily. But their was one fault in his solution: he wasn't a very great flier. So, the hybrid frequently swerved down, as if he was going to plummet.

Sunburn pulled up with a forceful screech. He would just have to lose the pestering nuisance. But even that was harder than it seemed. He was a terrible, terrible flier! Why was he even in the flight patrol?! The foe dragon was snapping at his tailfeathers, ravenously. Sunburn squawked, for some of his feathers had been snatched off. There was another vivid flash and a huge crackle. But it wasn't from the storm...

Cynder was chasing after the both of them. Luckily, the only one she wanted to murder was the dark dragon. With another bellow, lighting thrust from her mouth. The poor attacker just hadn't known what hit him. Before he knew it, he was convulsing from electric shocks, shrieking. It sounded like a horror movie on full volume. He continued to jitter and jolt, screaming. And then, uttering one, last pitiful cry, he plummeted. Cynder hovered, looking at Sunburn, who was gawking. ''What?''

''Y-y-you didn't have to kill him!''

''Oh, so I guess you wanted me to let him kill you? Well, you could've just asked, Sunburn!''

''That was horrible.''

''I thought it was fun.''

Sunburn grimaced and continued to stare down at the sky. That dragon was never coming back up. Never ever. Not unless he was secretly a Skylander, of course. Out of the blue, there was a powerful, familiar scream. Sunburn looked back at Cynder, ''You don't think that was that guy down there, do you?''

''No, I don't think so. That could've have been-'' Cynder's eyes then went wide. ''T-that was...Spyro...''

* * *

Rattle Shake was watching Stink Bomb and Poochie in confusion. How'd he get into this mess? His little snake friend, or gun rather, had been curious, wanting to explore the bar further and Rattle Shake had been forced to follow. He soon found out that his snake wasn't curious, and that it actually was looking for their lost teammates, Stink Bomb and Magna Charge. So, Poochie had been totally flipping out. There were three Skylanders in the Secret Hideout, three! Of course, he too had to go through Initiation.

A sparkly, glittery pink tutu was wrapped around him. His mouth was lined with glossy, red lipstick. False eyelashes were on his eyelids. His scales were bedazzled with little gems and decorations. He looked down at his snake friend, who was wearing a tiny, polkadotted, red bow, flickering his tongue in some tea, served in a plastic cup.

Magna Charge seemed to be enjoying the tea party though. He also went through Initiation, sporting pink eyeshadow, red lipstick, blush, a dainty hat, and some glitter. Cookie had been staring at him the entire time, scribbling down things, putting on her spectacles, while Candy was trying to peek at her older sister's writings. Stink Bomb and Poochie, on the other hand, were doing their own thing, stopping the event for their games. Rattle Shake, although it hadn't seemed like it, was enjoying the show. The skunk and poodle seemed rather rambunctious. At the moment, they were brawling. But not like ninja, like children instead. They were simply tumbling around on the floor.

''You will never defeat me, Skylander! I am your worst nightmare! Grrrawr!''

''That's what you think, villain!''

''Filthy Skylander!''

''Thieving bandit!''

With every tumble, they laughed. Rattle Shake looked as if he wasn't entirely sure of what they were doing. But they were certainly having fun. The two rolled again, sort of like as if they were trying to be acrobats, growling as if they were actually angry with each other.

Poochie had other ideas...They tumbled once more, and she ended up on top of the skunk. Of course, they just so happened to be muzzle to muzzle.

''Pinned ya!'' Poochie then smirked, foxily. ''Embarrassed Fancypants?'' She wasn't blushing at all, eyes filled with pure enamoration. Stink Bomb was definitely embarrassed, though. She gently nuzzled him. No. No, he couldn't possibly be...

She was just a friend. She was a bandit, a bad girl. He was a Skylander, a goodie-goodie. Like boxing gloves and microphones, things like that just didn't mix.

''Is that blush? Awww, you're so cute!'' Poochie giggled. She touched his snout with a finger, smiling. ''You can't hide it forever, Fancypants.'' Poochie closed her eyes and started to focus. Earlier, she had made it clear that she could actually read minds, but that was the only thing she revealed to the Skylanders. She stated that, ''Cards doesn't us to tell much, though. He says that we'll lose them if we talk about them to much!'' Stink Bomb tensed up, for Poochie was enjoying her time inside his thoughts. When she said she was the daughter of a witch, she definitely wasn't kidding. Poochie frowned, ''Aw, you stopped thinking about me. I love it when you think about me. Oh well, back to the fight! I've got you exactly where I want you, Skylander! Prepare to meet your **DOOM**.''

If this was a real battle, he'd certainly be at least injured by now. He couldn't use his paws for anything; his arms were pinned down. Kicking Poochie off would be kind of rude. And she couldn't keep reading his mind like that. It was starting to freak him out. What did he always do to ward off Surprise? Oh yeah! There was only one thing to do. Perhaps his innermost strength would be of some assistance. He shifted his tail. ''Hah! Don't be so sure, bandit...''

It wasn't long until Poochie recoiled. ''Ewww, Stink Bomb. Gross!'' She playfully scolded.

''You brought it onto yourself...Villan.'' Stink Bomb smiled, leaning back.

''O' Great Skylander, you have defeated me!'' Poochie pretended to die, rolling off of him. ''Ack!'' she lolled her tongue out. Poochie popped back up with a chuckle, sitting next to Stink Bomb. ''That was fun!''

Magna Charge was entirely intrigued. He was studying them, while Cookie studied him at the same time. Love was strange, and he wanted to get to the bottom of it. ''A skunk and a poodle...Weird.''

''Uh-huh...'' Rattle Shake responded with a slight drawl.

Suddenly, there was a knock at the Secret Hideout's door.

''More Skylanders? Oh, boy! Oh, boy! This day just gets better and better!'' Poochie squealed.

''Uh, Trio?'' said the voice beyond the door.

Cookie's eyes widened and she stopped her examination. ''I don't think that's a Skylander.''

''Oh no! Patches...'' Poochie gasped.

Candy, startled, blurted out, ''We can't let him in!''

''Shssshush! He'll hear us...'' Cookie whispered.

''Right, you guys gotta hide, just for good measure.'' Poochie nodded. Stink Bomb promptly concealed himself, Magna Charge zipped away towards a corner of the room, and Rattle Shake just slunk down in his seat, slithering underneath the table. The trio bolted over to the door and started to whisper to each other. Patches. Rattle Shake had remembered that name. It was that splotchy pirate fellow, the one they had took captive for a while. He didn't seem very scary. What were the Seapoodles all wary about?

Poochie put her snout up to the door. ''What's the secret password?'' So, the warriors that were supposed to destroy her and sisters just happened to be easily allowed into the Secret Hideout, but her own crewmate couldn't without saying a password? What side were they even on?! Evil or good? They couldn't be both.

Patches suppressed a whine. ''Umm...is it Skylanders?'' he guessed.

Poochie gasped. The Seapoodle turned to Cookie, gawking. ''He knows!'' she whispered, hyperventilating a little. ''What're we going to do? What're we going to doooo?!''

''I say we kill him.'' Candy smiled, rubbing her paws together like a mad man. ''Something quick and easy.''

''What?! No! We can't kill Patches! Not without a good reason, anyway.''

Candy laughed. ''I was only joking...Or was I?''

Poochie yelped at the reply.

''Girls, settle down. No one's killing anyone, we're okay. There doesn't have to be any bloodshed. We'll just lie, like we always do.'' Cookie soothed, squeezing the whimpering Poochie's paw.

''Or we kill him.''

''Candy! I will kill you myself, you rapscallion of a sister...'' Cookie menaced.

''What does that even mean?''

There was another knock. ''D-did I get it right?''

''Nope! Now leave before we kick you in the crotch, you filthy raps..raspa...rapscallion!'' Poochie barked.

''O-oh...Alright. But you should probably come out. Crook's going to bring the Skylanders.'' Patches reluctantly left with a soft whine.

Poochie sighed. She stepped away from the door, lifting her head, triumphantly. ''Candy?''

''Yeah?'' Candy asked.

''Bring me my sneaky suit...I'm going out.''

''Why?'' Cookie was utterly confused. ''What are you planning on doing, _missy_?''

Poochie's mouth curved into a mischievous smile.

''Oh, no, no, no, no. You're not going to-''

Poochie, receiving her outfit from Candy, giggled. ''To save the Skylanders? Why yes, yes I am.''

* * *

The Cardmaster's crew was boozing.

Again.

It was really all they did for fun. They were in a rather secluded area of the bar, around the 'secret hideout' and a few more empty rooms. The bar really did need some improvement. But, The Cardmaster had just conquered it, and fixing things wasn't really on his mind. The Seadogs would just have to deal with it. And, frankly, they were dealing with it pretty well. They didn't need fancy glasses or cleanly floors or perfect lights. All they needed was rum and lots of it. Including their captain, who was knocked out cold by alcohol, resting his head on the table, snuffling snores. The crewmembers, on the other hand, were quite lively, joking and jeering like any pirate should.

Patches picked at his teeth with a dagger, grumbling. The Seadog was on the lookout for their expected guest; it was the captain's orders. While everyone else was having a good time, he had to keep his eyes open. And the worse part was that he had to force himself to avert the drinks, unlike the others who were clearly and thoroughly relishing them.

He wasn't too sure Jabb's 'brilliant' plan was going to work. In fact, the cheetah was just making things up as he went along. The Cardmaster, surprisingly, went along with his ideas. It was simple, but one screwup and they'd all be nothing but bedraggled corpses. Patches kicked his feet up onto the table, putting his arms behind his head, casually. ''Where's that fox? The sly rat...'' he asked no one in particular, gritting his teeth. Patches, like The Cardmaster, had a few bones to pick with Crook. He was an untrustworthy wimp with kleptomaniac issues and voices in his head, which, as it should, made him dislikeable amongst the crew. The cheetah was warming up to the Trio, perhaps even more than warming up, much to Patches' dismay.

''I never get to go to the tea parties. I never get to go to the initiation. I never get to-graagh! Why do they like that ninny?!'' Patches snarled. Again, he was talking to himself, but he hadn't been whispering.

''Sounds like someone's jealous...''

Patches gripped Hogface's nose, ''Jealous? No, no, no. I'm filled with burnin' envy, mate! What's so good about that guy?! Huh?!''

Redfur, one of The Cardmaster's original crewmates, grinned. ''I believe you should be worried about somethin' else too, mate. Someone else, actually.''

''What're you hintin' at, Red?''

''What I'm hintin at is that you're out o' luck, Patchy. There's another certain 'special friend' on Poochie's love list, that you happen to not be on, heh.''

''You're talkin' 'bout that...whatzits name...Stink Bomb guy, aren't you?''

''Who else?''

Patches snorted. ''That ain't gonna happen. Who even said they liked each other, huh?''

''Have you been living under a rock, mate? Or d'you have your ears clogged up with seawater?'' Redfur shook his head, incredulously. ''Poochie's always talkin' to The Cardmaster about him.'' He adopted a girly, over-the-top, French accent, ''Stink Bomb knows ninjustsu! He's gonna teach me one day! Can you imagine it? A bandit pirate with ninjustsu! How cool is that? And he's really sweet...and funny. And sweet...He smells weird, though, heheh, and he's gassy! Do you think we'll meet again? I really wish we could meet again! And then we could have tea parties, and dress up, and games, lots of games, a-and more games! And maybe spin the bottle!'' Redfur heaved a sigh of exhaustion and coughed. ''Do you still not see the picture here?''

Patches shrugged. ''That doesn't mean anything. I'm much handsomer than that...ninja newt squirrel...er...skunk thingy. She'll come to me in time. I know it.''

''Oh, lookit you, so confident now. Guess that means...The air's cleared, huh?'' Redfur chuckled up a storm.

''Yes, you're hilarious.''

**WHAM!**

Suddenly, the front door swung open. Much to their surprise, multiple Skylanders tumbled down with a heavy thud.

''Here! Take your Skylanders! Take! Your! Skylanders!'' Chester shouted. He put his paws over his eyes, sniffling. ''Get them away from me. J-just get them awaaaay!''

Patches perked up immediately, clambering up onto the table, and staring at Chester. ''You brought them?''

''Yes!''

''You brought them?!'' Patches gawked.

''Yes! Can't you hear?! Yes, yes, yes!'' Chester threw his arms up. ''Skylanders!''

''Is this the party?'' Fire Kraken raised his head, tongue sticking out, happily.

Patches was in a state of shock. How could a measly, wimpy, cowardly guy like Chester be able capture the Skylanders, when The Cardmaster hadn't caught any before?! The splotched Seadog laughed joyously. He wanted to squeal in delight. It was a miracle! All of the hunting and searching and dreaded guarding would finally be over!

Wait.

''That's not all of 'em!'' Patches snapped. ''There's more!''

''Yep, there's...hm..'bout sixteen of 'em. Tsk tsk. The Cardmaster ain't gonna be happy about that.'' Redfur nodded.

Chester's eyes widened. But before he could say anything, something had kicked him, making him land in the same pile of Swappers. Poochie stood in the doorway, putting one paw on the steps. The Seapoodle looked down at the twitching fox, ''Oh, sorry Chester! I-I thought the door was closed!''

''Poochie...'' Patches tilted his head. ''What's with the..._get-up_?''

''This? It's my sneaky suit. You like?''

Patches lolled his tongue out, practically drooling. He murmured something in agreement. Lust was creeping up on him again. ''..mm...I like...'' Patches continued to mumble. Poochie had a change in wardrobe. She appeared to be wearing a rather dark uniform, a black cloth covering her muzzle, fighting wraps around her wrists, just things that screamed ninja. Anything and everything was a shadowy color.

''Ah, Stink Bomb help make that one?'' Redfur asked.

''Yeah! He's so nice...and sweet and funny and his blushing face is soooo adorable!'' Poochie yipped.

''Hm. You kiss 'im yet?''

''Nearly! I think I'm gettin' close to that stage though!''

Patches, surprisingly, wasn't even paying attention to their conversation. He was just locked onto Poochie's beautiful frame. To him, it was exceptionally appealing, and he continuously scanned the Seapoodle, up and down. At that moment, he realized that something was totally off. ''Uh...Pooch, what's up with your eyes?''

''White! They're contacts, don't worry. A lot of the stealthy people around here have white eyes! No irises, no pupils! How cool is that?! And these glow!''

Patches grimaced. There was one fault in Poochie's new taste; her alluring, baby blue eyes were gone.

Poochie then gasped, putting her paws up to her face in delight with her infamous '_eeeeee!_'. ''Skylanders! I didn't even see you guys there! Mags is gettin' antsy about all of you!''

''Oooh, pretty lady...'' Wash Buckler waved from underneath the pile. Poochie giggled. Patches promptly scowled. No. There can't be more Skylanders trying to get at his girl! Patches promptly stepped in, getting up from his seat, and padded over to Poochie, who hopped off the stairs and was busy awing at the Skylanders. He scooted next to her, placing a paw on her back. And then his paw started to move towards...Poochie's posterior.

The Seapoodle gave him a menacing growl, ''Grrmm...''

Patches cleared his throat, awkwardly, veering his head away as if nothing had ever happened. ''Sooo, um, you look nice today, Pooch.''

Thankfully, Poochie instantly grinned. ''You say that everyday, silly.''

Patches smiled sheepishly. ''Heh.'' He then sniffed, catching the scent of something. Something...skunky. He knew that smell. _The Swampskunk_, he thought. Poochie was practically doused in the awful scent. It was true. Stink Bomb was definitely getting close to Poochie. Too close.

''Uh..wha?'' The Cardmaster had finally awoken, lifting his head up with a snuffle.

''Cards! Oh, boy! Look! Chester brought the Skylanders!'' Hogface blurted out.

''The wha...?''

''The Skylanders, cap'n. Our enemies.'' Patches said.

''They're not enemies to all of us...'' Poochie added.

Finally, the Swappers got themselves up, throwing Chester off of them, staggering and swaying.

''We're the...Skylanders! And we're here to stop youuu...'' Wash Buckler pointed his cutlass at the Seadog captain. The Skylanders didn't battle ready at all. In fact, they looked rather tired, as if they were going to collapse at any moment.

The Cardmaster squinted and blinked and squinted some more. ''Oooooh, visitors.'' The Seadog had lazy eyes and looked just as bad as the Skylanders did. ''I like visitors.'' He looked even more creepy than he did when he wasn't half asleep, jaw low, drooling, like some sort of crazed hyena in a mystical wonderland. ''Care to join us? We're having...Liquid.'' The Cardmaster smiled. He then tilted his head at the bottle that had been in his hand. ''Or whatever this is...''

''**WHAT?!**'' The Seadogs shouted, stopping all their activities in confusion, a few taking some spittakes.

Great, Patches thought, _he's drunk. Not surprisingly._

''You feeling alright, Cards?'' Redfur cocked his head.

''Never been betterrr...'' The Cardmaster looked cheery, like everything was perfect, and nothing could go wrong in his life.

''But...We're talking about the Skylanders here. The ones you hate, the ones that you plan to enslave, the ones t-that killed your mother, Mary.''

Patches instantly gestured 'cut neck' in attempt to silence the red Seadog. But it had been too late.

The Cardmaster bared his teeth, ''Who?'' Redfur shrank back in his seat, flattening his ears. He only whimpered in response. The other Seadogs got the picture, and they followed Redfur's lead, some ducking under the table, some grabbing anything to protect themselves from impending doom. The Cardmaster's eyes turned its horrific, pure white, devious purple streams flowing from them. ''**Whoooo?!**''

Suddenly, Patches realized that Poochie wasn't next to him anymore. He swiveled his head, finding that Poochie was escorting the Skylanders, hurriedly. ''Pooch! What're you-''

''Gotta go! Au revior! Toodaloo! Buh-bye!''

''But-''

Quickly, she snatched a fizzing, sweet-smelling orb of perfume: La Bombe. With a battle stance, presumably another thing learned from Stink Bomb, she clicked something. It let off a few beeps, and then she tossed it. Triumphantly, she yapped, ''Clear the Air!'' The Seapoodle then slammed the door and Patches could clearly hear her lock it as well.

The Cardmaster, who hadn't even realized their was a bomb in the room, continued to growl gutturally, casting menacing looks at his crew. His ears finally propped up at the sound of constant beeping, eyes fading back to normal. ''What the...''

And then the bomb let out one last shrill beep.

* * *

Outside of the door, Poochie was beaming. She put her ear up to its surface, giggling.

''My eyes are burning!''

''Everything's pink!''

''I can't see anything!''

''It's in my eyes!''

''Whhhhyyyy?!''

Yes, she did feel a little bad for them. But it could've been worse; at least it smelt like delectable strawberries and not skunky sulfur. Poochie took a big whiff of the air, that also happened to be polluted by the sweet smell, and sighed. ''The smell of victory.''

''Uhm...What just happened?'' Hoot Loop tilted his head, bewildered.

''You were just saved by the smell, Skylander. Just in time too. The Cardmaster was going to lose it. If I understand correctly, you guys were intoxicated by Jabb. That sneaky, little kitten...My sisters, Rattle, Stink, and Magna are already downstairs; you'll be able to escape then.''

But they weren't safe just yet.

The Cardmaster bust through the door, completely destroying it.

''Well, he looks mad...'' Grilla Drilla commented.

Poochie rose her paws, nervously, ''Heheh...Heeyyy, Cards. You know, pink looks good on you.''

The Cardmaster was covered in bright pink, all on his cloak, his scrappy shirt, his pants, everywhere. He snarled, more ferocious than Poochie had ever heard before, as if he was some sort of demonic monster. ''**SKYLANDERS!**'' His eyes contorted back to white. A blue, pulsing aura surrounded his claws. He pushed them together and created a dark, frightening ball of magic. ''**MURDERERS!**''

''Yeah, I'd love to stay and all, buut, we've got to go...'' Hurriedly, Poochie gently pushed the Skylanders down the stairs, since they were completely obvious to what was going on. ''Go, go, go, go...'' she whispered. The Cardmaster started to drool excessively, panting like a common animal. He growled at the sound of his retreating targets. The Seadog gritted his teeth and bolted down the stairs with more demented noises.

* * *

''Okay, so, here's the plan.''

Spy Rise and the others had been attempting to organize their big plan. Everyone had been making suggestions, but Spy Rise seemed like he wanted to be the one in charge.

Night Shift grimaced, ''We don't need a plan. I say we just attack them while they're not expecting it.''

''I like that idea.'' Trap Shadow nodded. ''It's a sneak attack.''

Spy Rise rubbed his chin. ''That's a start, but it's not much.'' He pointed his laser towards the ground and started to score the earth with immense precision. The Swappers tilted their heads at his masterpiece.

''A map?'' Free Ranger blinked at the drawing.

''Yes, I hacked a tracking device into Magna Charge's sight circuits. I'm surprised he hasn't found it yet.'' Spy Rise replied.

''And?'' Night Shift asked.

''_And_ I was able to get a digital map of the bar, so I know every room in the building. What he sees, I see.'' Spy Rise continued, flipping his spy gear down onto his face. He put his fingers up to his head, murmuring. ''Oh my...That doesn't look good...Pink?''

''Well? What d'you see?'' Rubble Rouser pressured. ''Tell us.''

''Alright, alright.'' Spy Rise stopped his concentration. ''But it'd be better if I just showed you instead.'' The Tech Skylander projected a image of what appeared to be a pink, glittery Seadog attacking anything in its sight, even the furniture, crawling on all fours.

''**I AM THE ULTIMATE PORTAL MASTER! KNEEL BEFORE ME!**''

''The Cardmaster.'' the Swappers said in unison.

''Hey guys!'' Boom Jet's sudden arrival had made everyone flinch. They all whirled around.

''Who is that?'' Free Ranger pointed to the leafy, winged creature next to the skysurfer. It looked a bit like Camo, with the same thorny horns and eyes, but much bigger and lankier.

Boom Jet wrapped his arm around the dragoness. ''Who, her? This is Grapevine.''

The Swappers all waved, while Freeze Blade uttered a ''Hewwo!'' from underneath the ground. That bite was bringing out the worst in him, and 'worst' meant as much stupidity as possible. He had his head stuck in the earth, like some sort of ostrich.

Grapevine looked as timid as a Halloween-scared Stink Bomb in front of a bubbling bath. She was just glancing at all of the Skylanders in front of her, almost in wary. Grapevine scraped the ground with a claw, ''I presume you are Boom Jet's allies. Pleased to meet your acquaintance.''

You don't look very pleased,

Spy Rise thought. Grapevine looked more startled than anything. In all of Spy Rise's Skylander years, no one was afraid to meet Skylands' greatest heroes. Well, it was different if you were a villain. Spy Rise narrowed his eyes as he continued to ponder.

''She likes to talk fancy.'' Boom Jet rested his hand on the dragoness' head, who relaxed a bit and uttered a soft purr in response. ''And she knows some about...'' He looked about, before whispering. ''Vathek.''

Vathek? Spy Rise stared at him as if the skysurfer had grown extra appendages. ''Boom Jet, you know those are only rumors, right? From those Seadogs? Our enemies? They could've been lying.''

''Very believable rumors.''

''It's true, Skylander.'' Grapevine said. All attention had been put onto her, and she stumbled back at bit, sitting down. ''I-I-I-I mean, I think it's true.''

Spy Rise blinked. But before he could ask any questions, the images he had been projecting was still going on.

''**I AM THE CARDMASTER! YOU DIE! YOU ALL DIE!**''

''We-we should probably get going.'' Free Ranger said. '' 'YOU ALL DIE' doesn't sound very good.''

* * *

''**I AM THE CAPTAIN!**'' The Cardmaster howled, pushing a Seadog out of the way and into a wall. The Skylanders, and the Trio, were simply hiding in a corner, protected by a blockade of furniture.

The Trio had simply been enjoying the show, whooping.

''Go get 'em, Cards! Wooo!''

''Cardmaster! Cardmaster! Cardmaster!''

''This is highly brutish but...KILL THEM ALL!''

''Hey, Cookie, I was going to say that!''

The Skylanders, on the other hand, were completely shocked.

''Is he, uh, attacking his own crew?'' Grilla Drilla asked.

''Yep.'' Wash Buckler replied.

Poochie smiled. ''He does this sometimes. It's funny.'' She turned back towards her entertainment, fistpumping the air. ''Die, die, die!''

''**I COMMAND EVERYONE!**'' The Cardmaster snarled, clambering onto a table. ''**NO ONE LEAVES!**'' The Cardmaster moved all of the tables and chairs in the room towards the front door, all of the stacking onto each others.

''Oh, right, I think that's our cue.'' Poochie frowned.

''So, so, you mean we can't watch the rest of Cards' tantrum?'' Candy asked with a whimper.

Poochie stood up from behind the blockade, slowly. ''I know another way out, let's-'' she started. There was a loud explosion, plasma destroying everything that blocked the door.

''Surprise!'' An ice cat peeked inside the new, humongous opening in the bar, tongue lolling out of his mouth. The other Skylanders were finally here.

The Cardmaster immediately whirled around, ''**DIE!**'' Before he could attack, The Cardmaster had found himself being choked out by an invisible claw, dragged back by the stealthy predator.

Trap Shadow turned towards the hiding Skylanders and shook his head. ''That's a terrible hiding spot.'' He grunted, tightening his grip as he realized that The Cardmaster was trying to break out from the hold. The Cardmaster's hateful bellows quieted, turning into sluggish mutters. Eventually, he tired out, his eyes returning back to normal. Trap Shadow, smirking at his victory, released the Seadog, who fell onto the floor, murmuring.

Spy Rise skittered into the room. ''Nice job, Trap Shadow.''

''I wanted to kill him.''

Poochie squealed, ''Skylanders!'' She immediately leapt over the blockade, smiling. ''Hi! Hi! Hi!'' The Seapoodle began to wave at everyone, tail wagging. The other Skylanders emerged from behind their special shield, the rest of the Trio following their lead.

''He's down...for now. It won't last long.'' Trap Shadow announced.

''Then we should leave as soon as possible.'' Spy Rise responded.

''What about these guys? The other unconscious ones?'' Boom Jet asked. Several Seadogs had been sprawled out all over the place. Luckily, they were still breathing...Slightly.

Rubble Rouser looked about, ''We leave them. What else would we do? Take them with us?''

''We could take some, I mean, for interrogation.'' Spy Rise suggested.

Trap Shadow stepped over The Cardmaster. ''Your so-called _interrogation _never goes well. I say we just leave them.''

''Awwww, but they're so cuuute!'' Freeze Blade had been prodding at a Seadog's jowls, giddily.

''I know right?'' Poochie had joined in as well, laughing. ''Their jowls are so squishy!''

''Alright, alright, uhm...Let's roll out Airlanders.'' Wash Buckler pointed outside with his cutlass, garbling.

''Skylanders.'' Magna Charge corrected.

''T-that's what I said.'' Wash Buckler replied sternly.

* * *

Rotclaw rested up against the side of his ship, folding his arms. Rain drizzled down on the Seadog's fur. His pelt was grizzled, a rather darker shade than other Seadogs. His nails were gnarled, cracks in their exterior. Some of his fangs were golden. He wore a classic, pirate garb, still tattered, with a pirate hat to boot. He stood on a dock, nodding his head aimlessly with closed eyes. His vessel was called the Malicious Mongrel, handcrafted by himself and his old friends. Rotclaw's career was transportation, since his pirate ship had no other use to him anymore. The Seadog stopped piracy years ago, living without a care in the world.

''Rottie!''

The Seadog opened one eye. In the distance, several figures were bolting towards him. He, surprisingly, recognized all of them, even the Skylanders.

Poochie staggered to a halt and panted. ''Rotclaw...'' she caught her breath, smiling.

''Ah, girls! Good t'see ye 'gain.'' He peeked behind the poodle, looking at the various exhausted creatures behind her. ''New friends, I 'pose.''

''Yep! They're Sky-'' Poochie started.

''Aye, Skylanders. Hehe, I know, saw 'em arrivin'. Name's Rotclaw, chums, know me way 'round here like me paws. Needin' a ride, right?'' Rotclaw looked at the Skylanders with a grin. '' 'Cause I don't see your balloonist pal here...He isn't here, right?''

''N-no, just us.'' Spy Rise promptly responded. They didn't know why but it seemed like nearly all pirates were after Flynn. Perhaps Dreadbeard was a big influence on the pirate community.

Rotclaw smiled in approval, ''Good. You look like yore in a mighty hurry, 'landers. Cap'n givin' you hard times? 'Course he is, the liddle rascal...Well, a ship isn't goin to fly itself. And I ain't goin' to fly one without somethin' in exchange.'' Rotclaw turned to the Trio. ''You can't hide it...''

''We don't have time for this Rotclaw...'' Poochie replied.

''Not even a tad bit?''

Poochie grumbled and looked towards Cookie, who then turned towards Candy.

''I don't have-'' Candy started to protest. Cookie yanked her fluffy ears, searching through their fluff. The Trio would stuff gems anywhere, but their fur was usually the sanctuary for all currency. It was well hidden to others, while a long time pirate like Rotclaw would easily spot the treasures.

''Ow! Hey, hey, that's for my jewelry! I need that!''

Cookie ignored her sister's pleas and gave the shimmering, yet somewhat damaged, big, crystal shard to Rotclaw. ''Here, maybe you'll take better care of it than her.''

Even though it was scathed, Rotclaw was pleased. A treasure like that would at least make any Seadog yelp in delight. ''You got yoreselves a deal, gals.'' He shook Poochie's paw.

''So, is he gonna help us or what?'' Wash Buckler asked, walking up. Fortunately, he had been getting over his hangover, but was still a little ditzy.

''Aye,'' Rotclaw padded up his ship's plank, ''I will help as much as me can. But first, I'll have to get the beaut ready for takeoff.''

''Sprocket's going to kill us...'' Spy Rise murmured with his hands on his head, distressed. The Swappers had only just realized that they were going to be leaving their hot air balloon; it was still in Tangleroot somewhere. There was no time to go back now. Maybe those Greebles would get something out of it though, so it wasn't all a disaster. At least someone would be happy.

''Impossible.'' Night Shift said.

''Nine lives.'' Trap Shadow smirked.

''You guys are lucky!'' Fire Kraken crossed his arms and pouted.

''Done!'' Rotclaw exclaimed, abruptly. ''Climb aboard, landers.'' he added, grinning.

''What did you even do to it?'' Cookie asked.

''Ah, nothin', just wanted to get on first.'' Rotclaw responded. ''Heh, I am the captain of this ship, ye know. Now then, come on aboard, 'landers!''

While everyone else was walking onto the ship, Freeze Blade stared at his skates, eyes widened. He looked towards Wash Buckler and Spy Rise and then back at his feet. ''Climb? Climb?! I can't climb!'' Freeze Blade covered his eyes with his paws.

Trap Shadow snorted, pushing the cat up the plank. ''This isn't some sort of wall, Freeze Blade. It's a wooden board.''

''But I don' wanna!''

Poochie and her sisters watched as the Swappers got onboard. She clapped her hands together delightfully as her eye caught the sight of a striped tail, the last in line. Stink Bomb was staring at her as well, smiling. Poochie made a luring motion with her paw. She immediately hugged him. ''You're leaving. Again.''

''I never said you couldn't come with us.''

''Oh, but I don't want to. Besides, I kinda like being...a _bad girl_.'' she smirked. The Seapoodle looked up at Stink Bomb, ''I've got a surprise for you...But you have to close your eyes!''

Stink Bomb blinked. A surprise? That could mean anything. Just what did she-oh, right, of course! Stink Bomb was getting prepared, closing his eyes and bracing himself. He'd gone through a cheek kiss already, so maybe a mouth-to-mouth kiss wouldn't take much. But he didn't feel any lips touching his, not yet anyway.

''Open!''

So, it wasn't a kiss? Stink Bomb opened his eyes, finding that Poochie was in the midst of wrapping a pink, glittering scarf around his neck. No, it wasn't just pink. It was overly pink, like the girliest thing of all time. Hopefully the other Swappers weren't really looking...It was a team of only males, dudes as Wash Buckler would say, and a pink, perfume-y thing was the ultimate source of ridicule. Not that Stink Bomb didn't like the scarf.

''Lookit you, all dressed up for an adventure.'' Poochie stifled some giggles, fixating the folds in the material. ''That's my Wuvscarf.''

''Wuvscarf?''

''Yep. Wuvscarf.'' Poochie nodded. She sniffled, ''I-I just can't b-b-believe that you're leaving again!'' The Seapoodle hugged the skunk again, whimpering.

''Ssshhhh...'' Stink Bomb stroked Poochie's head, and she waggled her tail at his touch.

''All better!'' Poochie yipped, releasing her grip. ''Oh, wait, maybe one more.'' She cuddled him once more, happily. ''Wuv, wuv, wuv...''

Surprisingly, the two other Seapoodles joined in the loving, ''Wuv, wuv, wuv, wuv!'' Stink Bomb was now surrounded by three, yipping Seapoodles, all squeezing him to death.

''Alright, girls, we should, um, leave. These Skylanders have Skylander-y business to do...'' Cookie was the first to release. Candy soon followed after. Poochie, on the other hand, kept holding on for a few more moments. Eventually, she too released. But perhaps Poochie had some more surprises up her sleeve. Abruptly, a hefty pat, more like a slap, had struck Stink Bomb's rump, promptly making him stiffen up with a surprised yelp. Poochie's tinkly laugh had followed after. ''Fancypants, get on the flippin' ship, you smelly, no-good Skylander! But I still wuv youuu! Heheheh!''

Cookie exchanged glances with Candy. ''Did she just...?''

''Yeah...''

Like a cow being nipped by a dog, Stink Bomb obligingly scurried up the plank, blushing again. As soon as he was aboard, the Swappers were trying to hide their laughter.

''Nice Wuvscarf, Flower.'' Grilla Drilla commented.

The Malicious Mongrel was getting ready for takeoff. The Skylanders waved down at their fluffy friends, and they waved back up at them. The vessel was then above the village, their friends getting smaller and smaller as they rose.

Poochie sighed, covering her heart with her paws, watching the ship in distance. Her sisters had been staring at her in disbelief.

''Did you really just hit his as-'' Cookie started.

''Ssssshhh, we have a child here.'' Poochie covered Candy's ears, who chortled. The leader of the Trio then leaned over to Cookie. ''And between you and me...he's got a pretty cute butt.'' she whispered.

Cookie groaned. ''Augh, TMI.'' She shook her head. ''You're a strange, strange, little poodle, I'll give you that.''

* * *

The Cardmaster was tossing and turning. Sleep had never came easy to the Seadog. But tonight was different. His eyes had been constantly invaded by bright, blue lights. After the flashes, a terrible memory always followed. He'd been suffering through one already.

_Mange, a little Seapup, ran through the woodlands of Sawsinskrelp, gleefully. The sun was high and the little, forest birds were tweeting and chirping. This pirate pup had been after only one bird though: a delightful songbird. It wasn't so singy now, though, not with a ravenous, curious child on its tail. _

_''Come back! I only want to eat you!'' Mange called to the bird, who was desperately flapping as fast as it could. ''Birdy!''_

_Mange had been tracking it for what seemed like hours; he didn't want it to fly away and have all his strife and running around to be for nothing! He wouldn't leave without his bird. And the songbird looked as if it was tiring as well, drifting downwards as if it were about to crash every few seconds. Mange, thinking fast, leapt up into the air. Perhaps trying to act like those shadowy cats that bordered their villages would help. But he was a Seadog, so he didn't expect it to do much. Luckily, his paw did grasp the songbird's tailfeathers, and his puppy weight did the rest of the work. With a yelp of happiness, he coiled his paws around the little bird's body. He tilted his head. Now, he was confused on what to do next. Mange had always seen the hunter cats just bite their heads off. Other times, they would just swallow it whole, guts and all. But he'd seen his fellow Seadogs cover up the weird slits in fish with their paws, and that seemed to do the trick. Did birds have gills? Mange prodded at his prey in hopes of finding those open slits. He would have to make his decision sooner or later. ''Mo__mma always said to try something new...''_

_Mange had picked the 'bitting head off' route. Maybe the brain in the bird would add to his brain, and maybe he'd become as intelligent as the big, powerful robots in the stories Momma read him. Maybe he'd be able to fly! The pup opened his mouth and started to find the right angle to chomp down onto. But before he could decide, something had wrapped their arms around him, pulling him back. The pup's paws unwillingly released the bird, who fluttered away with terrified chirps. What was that?! Was it one of those grisly sabertoothed cats? Or was it a monster?! No, it wasn't anything like that. _

_ It was his mother, Rosemary. She wore a dainty, red gown with swirly, elegant patterns, giving her a rather royal look. Her eyes were like emeralds, shimmering in the sunlight. The Seadog had the same coat of fur as her son, a tanish brown color, like a common Seadog. Her ears were kind of floppy. She beamed at her fighting pup, tenderly licking his tuft of hair. _

_''Mommmmmaaaaa! I was just about to eat that one!'' Mange whined, thrashing around in a bad attempt of escaping and running after his meal._

_Rosemary laughed. ''Of course you were my little captain. I am terribly sorry for interrupting, but I think a simple bird isn't as exciting as my special surprise.''_

_Mange's ears twitched at the word 'surprise'. He promptly stopped kicking. ''Surprise?''_

_''Oh, yes. A surprise.''_

_''Really? Where? I wanna see! Is it my own ship? My own cutlass? My own crew?!''_

_''You'll just have to come see.'' Rosemary put her son down, dusted him off, and padded through the thick grass, Mange trailing after her. His eyes were wide with wonder. A surprise? Mange couldn't wait! An explosion of possiblites went off in his head. Whatever it was, Rosemary refused to tell him, even when he kept asking her desperately, as if he was going to die if he didn't find out. He reached for his mother's paw, and smiled at her comforting touch._

_After a few more minutes, Mange decided that he needed to ask the final question. ''Are we there-'' Mange began._

_''We're here.''_

_They had stopped in a clearing. Not so far from them, there were two figures, conversing with each other. Mange had recognized his father, but he didn't exactly know the other man. This being had hardly any fur, besides the strange, white beard. Perhaps he did have more fur on his body, but Mange had guessed that the robe he was wearing covered the rest of it. The man didn't even have a muzzle. His ears weren't upright and pointed like a Seadog's. He had a weird stick in his grasp, with some sort of shining ball on its top. Scary, curved horns protruded from the odd covering on his head. Mange promptly hid behind his mother. Why was his father talking to that odd thing? _

_''Don't be afraid, little captain.'' Rosemary nudged Mange forward. Mange was deathly afraid. What if that creature was hungry and tried to eat him? Mange grimaced. He really didn't want to think about that._

_His father turned towards his son, the weird man following his gaze. ''Mange, this is Master Eon. Yer mentor.'' _

Ah, yes, the puphood memories. He hated them. Those memories were never fun, they were always the complete opposite. Nostalgic or not, he wanted to end them once and for all. Especially the ones with Rosemary in them. It was utterly upsetting to see her in dreams, so much that The Cardmaster wailed during the night, screaming for his deceased mother.

With an irritable groan, and a slight, tiny whine, he rolled over. The light had returned.

_'__'Get up, runt! I'm not finished with you!''_

_Mange winced, stifling his whimpers of pain. It was that time again. It was just another day of dreaded ridicule from Knifeteeth's ragtag team. Mange, frankly, couldn't do anything. If he used his magic, he could possibly do mortal damage to his everyday assailants. Even though seeing them convulse as his abilities overtook them would be great to watch, he knew better, and Master Eon wouldn't approve of it. _

_''Yeah! We're not finished pummlein' ya!''_

_''Heheh! Pummelin'!''_

_Knifeteeth was the ruthless leader of the gang. Hence his name, his teeth had been pained metallic, rather pointed, deadly things. There had been rumors about his teeth, and if he bit a Seadog they would immediately die, but Mange had been bitten before. Multiple times. Knifeteeth was older than him and much bigger, which, to him, gave him enough reasons to pick on the 'runt'. Knifeteeth had a bad habit of biting into more than he could chew, and most of his schemes ended up backfiring on him. But he was still resilient. _

_Mange groaned, finally fluttering his eyes open._

_''There he is.'' Knifeteeth snickered. ''How was your time in lalaland? Pleasant? Hope that landing wasn't too rough. Here, let me help you up.''_

_Mange knew better than to grab it. Trusting Knifeteeth was a death wish. Knifeteeth pulled his claw back and crossed his arms. He nodded to his goons, who laughed deviously in response. They lifted Mange up, who cringed at the twinge that shot through him. _

_''You havin' fun?'' Knifeteeth asked. '' 'Cause I am!'' he chortled. The Seadog started to spin his cutlass, aimlessly. ''Oh, how it pains me to see a pirate's son turn out to be such a pathetic scrap of utter nothingness. You're not even a pirate, and you'll never be. Hell, I bet you're not even a Seadog! What are you? A chicken of some sort?'' _

_Mange finally decided that he wanted to play this 'game'. ''At least I'm more of a pirate than you'll ever be.''_

_Knifeteeth snapped his jaws, making his treacherous teeth clank together viciously. Mange met his glowering eyes._

_''You think you're pretty sly, huh? Think that you can do anything with your silly, little magic skills. You're on the wrong side, kid.'' Knifeteeth growled. ''You're supposed to be a pirate, not a Portal Master. You're betraying us! Well...now that I think about, you would be a terrible pirate, a **disgrace** to all of us, tainting what true pirates are with your filth.'' He snorted, rather disgustingly loud, and spat in Mange's face, who only curled his lip in response. Knifeteeth wiped his mouth with the back of his paw and continued to ramble. ''Oh, wait! Maybe the Portal Masters will denounce you as well!'' _

_''Master Eon would never do such a thing. I'm his student! I bet you're just jealous that you're not trained under the greatest Portal Master in all of Skylands! '' Mange barked. He knew he would regret even saying anything in the first place. Now, they would just have to insult each other until one of them gave in..._

_''Pssh! Jealous? That I'm not being taught by an old man?''_

_''Eon's not an old man. He's more than that.''_

_''Do you prefer elderly, furless, weird guy? That's a bit rude, don't you think?'' _

_How dare he insult the great Master Eon like that?! Mange wrinkled his snout. He needed another comeback. But before he could even think of one, Knifeteeth prodded at Mange's nose. Knifeteeth smirked, ''Aww, what's wrong? You sad that your dear mother's sick? Poor little pup...But don't worry, it'll all be over soon. I can't imagine how she feels...To have produced such a piss poor, awful tragedy like you!''_

_That was it. Mange's ears twitched. He wasn't so riled up about the 'tragedy' part. But just that simple mentioning of Momma was enough to unleash the beast. As Knifeteeth continued to poke at his nose, Mange's eyes turned a completely different color. White. Like thunder after the strike of lighting, the purple waves started to appear. He bared his teeth, grinding them together with a savage snarl. Mange opened his jaws and then bit down on whatever was in his sights, which just so happened to be Knifeteeth's finger. There was a very comical crunch, but the whole situation wasn't very comical at all. Knifeteeth had screamed, the goons holding Mange shrank back and released him in fear and the others, who were just watching the show, were absolutely terrified. _

_Knifeteeth's screams were horrific, but ever so satisfying to Mange. So satisfying that Mange started to salivate, excessively. It was about time Knifeteeth learned his lesson, anyway. Mange decided that one finger simply wasn't enough. He wanted this to be a very, very memorable experience. So...How about the whole paw instead? With another horrible howl from his victim, Mange clamped down on his prize. He started to shake it, up and down, side to side. It was almost as if he wanted to tear the appendage off...And perhaps he did. _

_''What're you doing standing around?! Help me! Help! Get him off-**AAAHHH**!'' _

_Knifeteeth cuffed at Mange, but the attacker wouldn't budge. Reluctantly, Knifeteeth's minions dragged Mange off, one of them even putting him in a chokehold to pull him back. Mange thrashed around a bit, but his frenzy had been over. He did what he had wanted to do. A steely, bad taste was on his tongue, and he could only identify it as blood. He licked his lips; the flavor had been there too. Knifeteeth stared at his hand. It hadn't even looked like much of a paw now, more like a bloody mess. Appalled, he started to murmur. ''Why-what-what did you...'' He then scowled, ''Kill-''_

_''Get away from him! Get!''_

_Mange, his eyes fading back to normal, was immediately relieved. Whatever Knifeteeth was about to do, it didn't seem like it would be very welcoming. His father was running towards the children, swinging his sword about, ''Run! Fast as ye can! I'll skin all o' ya! I'll kill all o' ya! We didn't name this place Sawsinskerlp fer nothin'! I show no mercy!''_

_The Seapups were starting to flee, even Knifeteeth, who had given Mange one last glare, staggered off, clutching his ruined paw. Once everyone had gone, his father turned to Mange and dropped his weapon. ''Liddle cap'n...''_

_Mange had his head low, trying not to make eye contact with his father. He had heard from other pups that dads did terrible things to them whenever they did something wrong. Would his own dad do the same? Mange just wanted to run off at that moment and follow the others. _

_His father repeated, ''Liddle cap'n...''_

_Mange, with a sharp whimper, immediately ran up to him. He wrapped his arms around his dad in a tight hug. ''I'm sorry...'' Mange sniffled, burying his face in his father's clothing. _

_''I know, I know...''_

_''But-''_

_''Ssh, ssh, ssh...''_

_''Master Eon's goin' be upset...''_

_''That he will, that he will...''_

Another bright flash.

The Cardmaster tossed over with a grumble and prepared himself for more dreaded memories to fly by. He knew what it was leading up to. But the Seadog could only brace himself for impact. And wait...and wait.

_''So, let me guess, you were lectured?''_

_''Yeah.''_

_Mange had been welcomed into the cottage by Ail, a good friend of his. He was a tad bit older now, possibly around teen years. At the time, he was quite pleased that Seadogs happened to grow up faster than most of the other inhabitants in Skylands. Eon had still been his mentor, Rotclaw was usually out fishing, and dear Rosemary was getting even weaker. Nothing had really changed. Except for Mange's habits; he had started to become more prone to stealing, much to Eon's dismay. Unfortunately, Knifeteeth was rubbing off on him, badly. Like any other teen, he was getting rebellious. _

_''Well, at least you didn't bite someone's hand off this time!'' Ail laughed. ''Not like that's a bad thing or whatever. Tearing hands off is good, and so is taking a morsel of gold from those stupid Mabu.'' Ail was a rather striking, young Seapoodle with white fur, gorgeous, brown eyes, and an amazing frame. It was extremely hard to resist hitting on her. Mange liked to believe that she doused herself in some sort of love potions every time he came to visit. Ail was a great girl to converse and share feelings to, which Mange needed now than ever._

_Mange smiled faintly at Ail. ''Still...Master Eon hasn't been too happy with my-''_

_''With your achievements? Oh, please. He's just a shabby Portal Master.''_

_''Well, this shabby Portal Master is the greatest one in the world. I'll learned all my tricks from him.''_

_''Then is it really your fault? Surely, he should've known that teaching magic to a pirate would have some disadvantages. Unless that idea had just simply slipped his foolish mind.'' _

_Mange wasn't exactly sure if Ail's words were the ones to follow. She was evil, according to, well, Master Eon himself. And even Ail proclaimed that she was villainous backstabber on an everyday basis. But who could resist such good looks like hers? __Ail, quite out of the blue, placed her paws on his shoulders, putting her chest to his. ''Besides, why don't you ditch the old man anyway? You're a pirate, act like one, not some stupid Skylander.'' She then grimaced, ''Master Eon's planning on making you a Skylander, isn't he?''_

_Mange nodded. ''Maybe this is how it's supposed to be, how I'm supposed to be.''_

_''Doing a old man's work, being forced to jump onto Portals, and perhaps, just perhaps, getting send to another dimension from an Arkeyan war, o-or being blasted apart, and chasing villains, the good guys, down with crystal shards...Maybe you'll even be frozen alive and owned by even littler Portal Masters! That's how it's supposed to be, eh?' _

_Mange blinked a few times. He knew being a Skylander was hardwork. Often times, the Seadog watched them from afar as they trained. Mange had heard the tales about the long gone, or rather missing, Skylanders from Eon several times before. He hadn't thought much of it until now. They were Skylanders, they would pop up sooner or later. And their disappearances were many years ago, from the time of Arkeyans and Emperoress Kalamity and the Fire Vipers and Mabu Slaves-_

_''You're falling into a dirty trap, Mange. Stay, stay here...With me.'' And with that, Ail went in for the 'kill', promptly making out with the young Seadog. Mange was taken by surprise at first, but didn't veer away for reject it. Instead, he indulged it, their tongues tickling each other. Mange closed his eyes and held the Seapoodle close. Although Ail, like usual, was full of tricks. Quietly, she removed her paws off of Mange, and drew out something in secret. It was some sort of syringe, with a odd, glowing, green liquid. _

_Luckily, Mange flung the thing away with the flick of a magical claw, smirking. He gently pushed Ail away and opened his eyes. ''You can't fool me.'' he whispered._

_Ail sighed, ''Someday I will. Someday...You just wait. Oh well, I'll just have to keep trying.'' She growled. ''Now shut up and let me kiss you, you handsome, fleabitten dolt.'' Ail pushed Mange up against the wall, violently. Ail was quite the seductive predator. And Mange was simply her prey. ''Mhmmph.''_

Surprisingly, The Cardmaster smiled. That was an actual **good** memory. Although, kind of sad, knowing how Ail, now, was an absolute monstrosity that he wouldn't even dare to touch. He was quite glad that she was hidden away on an isolated Skyland.

Once more, The Cardmaster cringed at the bright light that flared into his eyes.

_''How do you do it?!''_

_Mange, recently renamed The Cardmaster by purely himself, had just beaten another foe...At a game of Pirate Cards. ''They don't call me The Cardmaster for nothin'.'' he fiddled with a card, a sly smile upon his face. ''It's my specialty.''_

_Although, he wasn't alone. Knifeteeth had been watching their game, intently, a cigar in his mouth. His left paw, the one that had been massacred, was replaced with a rusty hook. He wore a hodgepodge of clothing, but even he still looked presentable. On his back, a silky, black cape resided. Various trophies dangled from his belt, including a Mermasquid's tentacle which he had been exceptionally proud of. He removed his cigar and, like a Fire Dragon, puffed out some smoke. Knifeteeth laughed, ''Ah, yes. It is virtually impossible to beat The Cardmaster.'' He was the ringleader, and The Cardmaster was only the brawn. Knifeteeth was practically using him. ''Now, kind sir...'' He cleared his throat, holding his hand out. ''Pay up...''_

_The Cardmaster smirked. They worked absolutely wonderful as a team. Like any pirate game, the loser didn't get off free. He nodded to his competitor. The two would often end up splitting their riches between both of them, but sometimes, The Cardmaster would secretly take some of the treasure when Knifeteeth wasn't looking._

_Thankfully, the losing Seadog, reluctantly, brought out a little pouch of coins. _

_The Cardmaster opened the bag and was the first to react, ''Why, kind sir, this simply isn't enough...You do know that, right?''_

_''Tsk tsk, what a pity.'' Knifeteeth shook his head, slowly. _

_''That's all I have, really.'' the other Seadog said, raising his paws._

_''Reaaally now?'' The Cardmaster questioned in an insidious yet sarcastic manner, baring his fangs. ''Young fellow, I just don't believe that, you see...'' He tapped his claws on their playing table. ''This might sound crazy, but I think you have something you're hiding. Care to tell us?'' _

_''Yes...Because you're holding up the line!'' _

_''Yeah!''_

_''Hurry up!''_

_The Cardmaster snickered. Pirates from all over Skylands came to challenge him and the result was always the same. At the moment, there had been a whole line waiting, rather impatiently, all growling. But before the losing Seadog could come up with another excuse, the Sawsinskerlp Bell tolled. In a instant, the Seadogs froze. That wasn't usually a good sign. The bell served as an alarm and only an alarm, rung simply for danger by the lookouts. The Cardmaster sank down in his seat. They just happened to be playing by a window and soon enough his 'good friends' appeared._

_Skylanders. _

_The other pirates had been hiding now, while Knifeteeth and The Cardmaster could only watched. There was silence and nothing more. The Cardmaster looked at Knifeteeth, who was as still as a statue, eyes locked onto the multicolored figures that looked odd upon Sawsinskerlp's usual dull, dark, dank colors. The Cardmaster whispered, ''What're they doing?'' _

_''Lookin' for me, probably.''_

_Oh, that's right. Knifeteeth was a rather...famous villain, tormentor of the skies and seas. The Skylanders were only doing what they had been appointed to do: protect Skylands. It had been a few months after the demise of Master Eon. Sure, it had tugged on The Cardmaster's heartstrings for a little while, but he was a pirate now. All of that Portal Master crap was in the past. _

_The Skylanders were being led by Spyro, although most pirates liked to call him the 'Purple Menace' back then. They seemed to be on a patrol of some sort. Thankfully, every other Sawsinskerlper had been in their homes, locking their doors. Not even the toughest of pirates wanted to be caught out there. Who knew what they would do? Torch them? Crush them? Lock them up in prison? Send them to the Underworld where zombies and creepy Spiderlings could feast on their flesh?! None had sounded very pleasant..._

_For a split second, Spyro looked directly at him. The Cardmaster sank even further, grimacing. Hopefully the dragon wouldn't be too suspicious...The Cardmaster looked up, expecting to find Knifeteeth, but the Seadog had been under the table, growling. Knifeteeth looked up, ''Are they gone?''_

_''Not yet...'' The Cardmaster murmured. _

_''Ugh. Can you make them leave? We're wasting time here.''_

_''I'm not a Portal Master.''_

_''You can do something!'' _

_The Cardmaster curled his lips, fur bristling. ''No, I-''_

_Suddenly, there was a thud, something ramming against the window. The Cardmaster yelped. He hesitantly sat up a little and saw a long, pink tongue whirling around the window's surface, wildly. Anybody could recognize the manically laugh that followed after. Something similar to bullets fired, rapidly._

_They'd found them. _

_There wasn't even a knock. Instead, there was a fiery entrance that burnt down the door, a purple dragon bursting through the door. _

_''You're going to teleport us. Now.''_

_The Cardmaster, stricken by fear, hadn't complained. Biting his lip and clenching his fists, his eyes went blank with white, purple streaming from his tear ducts. And the two Seadogs simply vanished, much to the surprise of everyone else. As usual, The Cardmaster chose the safest place he could find: Knifeteeth's ship, the Mauler. It was a rickety, old thing with the skeleton of a giant Sugarbat as its figurehead, posted to the vast ship by chains. The two had landed in the Captain's Room, Knifeteeth's room, which had been practically seething with golden treasures and trinkets. Even his dreadful bed had coins on it. _

_''What do you think were you doing?! What was that back there, huh?!'' Knifeteeth shouted._

_''I only did what you asked, Knifeteeth. And that was to teleport the both of us.''_

_''As slow as a snail!'' Knifeteeth retorted. He ground his teeth together, viciously. ''Nevermind.'' the Seadog heaved a sigh, licking his teeth. Suddenly, his ears pointed upright, alerted. He scanned his partner in crime up and down. ''W-where's the treasure?''_

_''You never said to bring the treasure, Knifeteeth.''_

_In an instant, Knifeteeth was already sent into rage. ''You what?!''_

_The Cardmaster repeated, calmy. ''You never said to bring the-'' Before he could even finish, Knifeteeth had punched him in the face, savagely. With a yelp, The Cardmaster staggered back._

_''This is all your fault!'' Knifeteeth, violently, slammed a glass bottle over The Cardmaster's head, grabbing the Seadog by his shirt and slamming him down onto the floor. ''I hate you! I **hate** you!''_

_''I get your point already.'' _

_Knifeteeth snapped, ''Shut up!'' He lifted The Cardmaster up, only to throw him back against the ground again. The captain, after kicking his crewmate over, stomped his foot onto The Cardmaster's chest, holding him down. ''You will obey me! Me! Obey!'' _

_The Cardmaster didn't reply._

_''Obey me! **OBEY!**''_

_The Cardmaster was still giving him the silent treatment, some blood trickling down his face. It wasn't like any of this was agonizingly painful; it would just take a few long hours for him to heal himself with his magic. Knifeteeth was only damaging himself, looking more like a tantrum-throwing Seapup rather than a great captain. He continued to stomp, ''Obey me! Obey me or **die!**'' It was obvious that Knifeteeth had little to none battle training. _

_Luckily, the door opened, revealing Redfur, who was peeking in. ''Uhm, Knifeteeth...we've got a lil' problem.''_

_Knifeteeth snarled, ''What're you doing here?! This is the Captain's Room! My private place!''_

_''Aye, I know, captain. But, we've got a rat infestation. Again.''_

_''Grr, nasty, little creatures.'' He looked down at The Cardmaster, who looked totally disinterested and unaffected by the glass shards lodged in his face. Knifeteeth glared. ''Get up. Now.''_

_The Cardmaster teetered, but eventually got onto his feet. Growling darkly, he flexed his claws, as if wanting to strangle his captain with malevolent magic. But he knew better than to waste such strength on nothing but a simple pirate; he could easily defeat him with magic or not._

_''You. You're gonna be sleepin' with the fishes by tonight, that I swear.''_

_Sleeping with fish? That didn't sound very welcoming, especially when the seas of Skylands had tons of vicious things lurking in it. ''The Walk?''_

_Knifeteeth only glowered and lumbered out of the room to accompany some other Seadogs on the ship. Redfur turned to The Cardmaster with a snicker, ''You don't look so good, Cards.''_

_The Cardmaster grumbled. ''Was that supposed to be humorous?''_

_Redfur shook his head, rapidly in fear. ''O-oh, n-no, no, not at all. Hehe.'' he rose his paws. ''Ah, don't worry, walking that plank ain't hard. Just don't thrash around, but you'll probably get out of the waters anyway with that funky magic of yours.''_

_The Cardmaster laughed. ''Oh, I plan on it, Redfur.'' He picked some of the glass out of his skin, nonchalantly. ''How are the plans going?''_

_''It's going very well, I believe. We're all waiting for your feedback, though.''_

_This plan of sorts was more like a escape. The Cardmaster had promised them a better future, and no one was safe from his excellent manipulation and charisma skills. Everyone else who did, for some idiotic reason, want to stay with Knifeteeth, would most likely meet the same fate as their leader. Knifeteeth was a jerk to just about everyone, and yes, The Cardmaster was the same, but he was at least likeable amongst his crewmates, while Knifeteeth was just seen as a childish spawn from the Underworld. _

_''My feedback, hm?'' The Cardmaster grinned. He shook off and gnawed on his arm, like usual. But this was with ferocity, almost as if he wanted to rip his own arm off. ''Well, since you asked...'' The Cardmaster spat out some of his mangy fur with a hack. With the flick of his ears and a snarl, he looked back at Redfur. ''I say we start by tonight. Before my so-called...sleeping with the fishes.'' _

_''Aye, aye, Captain Cardmaster.''_

_''And don't call me that! It's either The Cardmaster or Captain, not both!'' He curled his lip in disgust. ''It sounds like a bad cereal brand.''_

The escape had gone smoothly. But the escapees hadn't exactly gotten what they wanted. They were now under the insane reign of The Cardmaster, who admittedly was even more of a lunatic than Knifeteeth. Granted, they had gotten more wealth from The Cardmaster. Frankly, The Cardmaster hadn't even cared, just as long as he had brainless crewmembers to go down before. Risking the lives of others was better than risking his own.

He cringed; this light had been brighter than all of the others.

_''P-p-please, Mange! I-I-I'm a friend!'' _

_Finally, the moment had arrived. Knifeteeth's reign would come to an end. He was vulnerable. He was weak. _

_Dark magic had been viciously wrapped around his neck, and The Cardmaster had him up against a wall, the door locked to insure no escape. The two captains' crews were all out on the deck, fighting each other, tooth and claw, dagger and sword. The rest of The Cardmaster's crew had wanted to join in on Knifeteeth's demise, but the magician had declined, saying that this one was his. His kill. Knifeteeth simply had no chance. He was going to die here, in his own room, on his own ship. Although it seemed as if they weren't going to run into each other again after the escape, they constantly kept running in each other. The two captains had started a whole feud. During the time, Knifeteeth and his crew had returned to his homeland, claiming to be the true leaders of Sawsinskerlp. And the Skylanders had gotten the memo. Soon enough, Sawsinskerlp had burned to the ground from a spark of fire. Luckily, The Cardmaster had saved his father from the flames. However, Rosemary hadn't made it out in time. She had died in the Purple Menace's raging fire. _

_This was all Knifeteeth's fault. Days went by, and The Cardmaster searched and searched for his mother's murderer. _

_''Don't call me that!'' The Cardmaster shouted, tightening his grip. ''I am The Cardmaster!'' he snarled, fur bristling with rage. Knifeteeth__ rasped a yelp, for The Cardmaster was pulling him away from the wall and into the air. The Cardmaster smirked and cocked his head, snickering. ''You look surprised, Knifeteeth. That amuses me...'' _

_Knifeteeth thrashed around, desperately trying to get away. _

_''...Mildly.'' The Cardmaster added, pushing the captain back into the ship's wall._

_Knifeteeth shrieked, gasping for air. ''Let me go, Mange! You can be captain! I-I can be-'' he rasped._

_''Oh, shut up. You just can't stop lying, can you? I should've known...'' The Cardmaster coldly growled. _

_Knifeteeth was hyperventilating, ''You-you can do this to me. I'm your captain!''_

_''You **were** my captain. My crew** used** to have you as a captain. Now, I am **their** captain.'' He cackled. ''Small world, eh? Things chance, old friend. ''But don't worry, it'll all be over soon.''__ The Cardmaster's eyes turned white, a streak of purple magic streaming off of them. _

_''Y-you...You can't! It wasn't me! The Skylanders did it! Not me! I was trying to help!''_

_''Try me.''_

_Wide eyed, Knifeteeth's ears flattened back, mouth agape. Foam began to dribble from his lips, tongue lolling out to a side. Knifeteeth's eyes grew pale, like a milky, blind color. His head loped over to the side. _

_''Now, shall we end this quickly, friend?'' The Cardmaster smiled. He forced the dazed Knifeteeth to nod, moving his claw up and down. ''Good, good.'' He sneered, ''You were a terrible pirate, a **disgrace** to all of us...But, enough monologue, it's not like you're even paying attention, I'm only wasting my breath.'' The Cardmaster raised Knifeteeth higher. ''Good riddance...''_

_With the flick of his paw and a devious grin, there was a grotesque, raucous snap from Knifeteeth's neck, and nothing more. __The Cardmaster, frowning, tossed the body onto the ground. Knifeteeth lay, bloody saliva creating a pool under his mouth, his limbs twitching. The Cardmaster snorted, rather disgustingly loud, and spat on Knifeteeth. ''Bastard.'' _

_No, no, he could do more damage than that. He needed to do more damage. For Momma. _

_Abruptly, a serrated, saw-like blade stabbed through the wooden door. It kept slicing at the door, wildly. Eventually, a spotted Seapup peered his head in through the hole he created. ''Cards?''_

_The Cardmaster looked up from his cutting work and towards Patches. The Seadog had been quite young, found on the outskirts of an abandoned village looking for treasure. His parents had dumped him, apparently, and he had simply followed The Cardmaster's crew all the way back to the Esper. Of course, The Cardmaster had been dismayed. He didn't like pups much, and this one was no exception. Patches, however, decided that he wouldn't be ignored. And ever since, he had kept trying to impress The Cardmaster._

_''Uh, what's that?'' Patches asked. _

_The Cardmaster had something in his grasp, something dangling. He raised the head of Knifeteeth, which had been splattering blood all across the floor. ''Let's go.''_

_''R-right.'' Patches had been staring at the head, grimacing. He started to attempt jabbing through the wood again, but The Cardmaster had stopped him, flinging the door off with the swipe of his claw. The Cardmaster trundled out, Patches reluctantly trailing behind him. The captain had noticed that Patches had gotten his first battlescar: a torn, right ear. It had still been bleeding, messy shreds of his ruined ear flopping down on his fur. His body had a few cuts here and there, and the blood from his foes had stained his clothing, but nothing had stood out more than the ear. The pirates had still been fighting. The Cardmaster and Patches even had to step over a few limp bodies. Luckily, most of the other corpses had been thrown into the water, for the thrashing of carnivorous fish in the waters hadn't gone unheard, even amid the howls of the battle. _

_The Cardmaster narrowed his eyes. He could only hope that not a lot of his crew members were gone. He needed to stop the brawling now, before any others met the same fate. He snarled, building up a powerful bellow in his chest. ''**STOP THAT! NOW!**''_

_Not surprisingly, that had gotten everyone's attention. Eyes were set onto the Seadog. The Cardmaster finally raised his trophy, ''Behold! The great captain Knifeteeth! Or at least, heheh, he remains of him.''_

_The last of Knifeteeth's crew gasped, while The Cardmaster's crew were in awe, some had even yelped in shock. The Cardmaster shook the head around for a bit. ''He. Is. DEAD!'' The Seadog tossed the head onto the deck's floor, laughing. He looked back at all of the surprised Seadogs. ''The same could happen to you. That is, if you stay here on this very ship and disobey my leadership. I am the captain of all of you. All of you! Now, does anyone have some complaints they would want to share with me? Hm?''_

_The pirates shook their heads as fast as possible. _

_''No, not at all!''_

_''Uh-uh!''_

_''You're the captain!''_

_The Cardmaster's mouth curved into a devilish, eerie smile. ''Excellent.''_

Oh, thank the Portals! Everything had went black. He was standing amongst the lurking shadows. Finally, this was the end of his dream. A dragon-like figure emerged in the distance, glowing a bright blue. ''Cardma_ssss_ter...''

''Ah, Vathek. It's great to see you again, my friend.''

Vathek inched closer, snickering. ''You too, friend.'' He furled his wings. ''Did you like my little picture _ssss_how?''

''No.''

Vathek looked stunned. ''W-why not? You know, you're my favorite.'' He flickered his tongue out. ''I would never try to harm my favorite.''

''Well, you're harming my slee...favorite?''

''Favorite, ye_sss_. Out of all the villain_ssss_, of course. You can _sss_ay I'm your number one fan.'' Several puffs of smoke appeared, lots of them. Shadowy figures lay in their wake, laughing manically. The Cardmaster squinted his eyes. The shadows resembled the multiple villains of Skylands.

''No one can top your majestic _sss_kill_sss_, friend. Kao_sss_, the little travesty of all villain_sss_, who _sss_cheme_sss _to take our rightful place_sss_ a_ssss_ ruler_sss_ of thi_sss _world, not even he, the most feared in _Sss_kyland_sss, _cannot compete with your_ abilitiesss._'' Randomly, a foam finger appeared on Vathek's tail, and he waved it around. ''Amu_sss_ed, my friend?''

The Cardmaster furrowed his brows. ''You're a trickster, I know that much, dragon.''

''Me? Trick_sss_ter? Oh, no, no, no.'' He then chortled. ''Very well, ye_sss_, I do admit that I am. But like an elephant, I never forget. Especially about your little oath...''

''What's wrong this time?''

''Your gift, or gift_ssss_ rather, have indeed plea_sss_ed me. But...''

''But what?''

''_Sss_kylander_sss. _Why Ssskylandersss? They made a fool of me at what wa_sss sss_uppo_sss_ed to be our _ssssacrificial _ceremony. No one make_sss_ fun of the King!''

''You get used to it after a while. Rest assured, your kingliness.''

''A while? I don't have a while. I _ssss_hould've killed them when I had the chance!'' Vathek promptly screeched, snapping the air as if it were the heads of his newly appointed elementals.

''Yes, yes, you should've.''

Vathek flared his nostrils at the Seadog. ''You were _ssssu_ppo_sss_ed to pity me, dog.''

''I can take them off your hands, it'd be a pleasure to-''

''They are mine now. They will die in the Pit. They will kill each other in the Pit. Their live_sss_ _ssss_hall be mine.''

''Of course they will.'' The Cardmaster was glowering on the inside. He wanted all of the Skylanders, and if two were under reign of Vathek, there would be no Flashwing and Whirlwind to add to his slave collection. _Damn that Patches, _he thought. _Why did he have to choose that lot?_

''And anyone who trie_sss_ to get in my way, will be _ssss_lain by my might. I am the King! King Vathek, true owner of the Dragon_sss_' Throne, leader of all dragon_ssss_, de_sss_troyer of the Peak.''

Perhaps The Cardmaster cold persuade him. Or rather, he could just lie his way out of the predicament. What good would that do? He would be breaking his promise, and he would lead his strongest ally against his crew. Momma always said to never break a promise. ''D-do you think I'll be able to get some front row seats in their battles, Your Majesty.''

''Of course, of course! My dragons will _ssss_imply have to move out of the way. If not, I _ssss_hall tear them limb from limb and feed them to the manticore_ssss_. I know just how much you'd love to _ssss_ee our mortal enemie_ssss_ have their ins_sss_ide_sss_ ripped open. Oh, you don't need to call me that. You're The Cardma_ssss_ter, my true, best friend. Ala_ssss_, it'_ssss _rather flattering. _Ssss_o, what'_ssss _going on in your life, Mange?''

The Cardmaster wrinkled his snout at the name, but decided not to complain. ''Skylanders.''

''What?''

''Skylanders.'' He sounded like he was spitting poison off his tongue, as if he was revolted just to say it.

''You can tell me. Remember, I'm your friend.''

''It's just the usual. Why must they make my life a living hell?''

Vathek rubbed his chin with a wing. ''Well, my friend, perhap_sss sss_imply in their nature. What you need, are _ssss_ome minionsss. Some _ssss_lave_sss_. Take a load off for a while, friend.''

* * *

''_Krawakwak!_''

''_Rawwwlk!_''

''_Cruuu-ack!_"

Several, thundering screeches split the air, harshly. The Flock was at it again. Gargoyles. They were all clamoring, barking madly at each other, wrestling. What for? Nothing at all. The Flock lived under a great mountain, in one of the most dangerous areas of Skylands. Many years ago, they were crafted by a lazy wizard. The wizard had sent them off in search of an almighty substance: Traptainuim. Unfortunately, they never did find the substance, uninformed about Cloudcracker, and were discarded by the wizard. They weren't really enraged about their banishment; they were just ashamed. The Gargoyles hadn't planned vengeance against their master, instead, they planned vengeance against themselves. Just about everyone was a ruffian in The Flock, even the little ones.

Grimmler, the leader, oversaw the feud on his 'Highledge', which was exactly what it seemed. Shrieking at them in fury, he thumped his tail loudly. But the gargoyles had simply been ignoring him for a while now, continuing their pointless battles. All of the gargoyles were different from each other, some with beaks, some with horns, some even without wings. Grimmler was a rather draconic gargoyle, but had little ears that pointed from his head. He was squat, but what he lacked in sleekness, he made up with brutality. His pale eyes were paralyzing, said to startle any enemy in war. Grimmler was rather oversized. He lacked in stamina and usually averted a fight, for it was just too exhausting for his stubby, fat legs. His enemies underestimated him...which really wasn't a good idea. His muscles were literally boulders and his bulky claws could crush even the strongest of diamonds. In any battle, he used his weight as an advantage, whether rolling over his foes, squashing them beneath his toes, or just sitting on them. And if he wanted to get a little adventurous, his bull-like horns, though chipped and cracked from smashing his head in too hard, could knockout just about anyone. But, sometimes his weight wasn't a life saver. He wasn't able to fly as easily as the others; Grimmler's wings looked almost minuscule compared to his powerful frame. Compared to the average gargoyle, he was quite the giant.

''_Gwrak!_''

Grimmler swiveled around, grumbling distastefully. ''What you want?''

''Found weird gem, glowyglowy. It orb, Grimmler. Blue flashies.''

''Yes! We think big, big waterdog trapped 'side.''

Two gargoyles, out of breath, stood a few paces behind the leader. One had the 'flashie orb' in their jaws, drooling. Grimmler blinked in awe. He had never seen anything like it. The orb shimmered with a brilliant, bluish aura drifting amongst it. The gargoyle snapped, ''Put down! Iwanna see flashie orb. Put down!'' Immediately, the leader had gotten what he wanted inched closer, thanks to the startled flockmember. Cautiously, Grimmler snuffled at his prize, starting to paw at it like a curious cat. Much to his surprise, blue runes started to appear on the stony floor. They were all too familiar; he had seen imprints like those before on a Portal.

With a sparkle of light, the hologram of a caped Seadog had appeared. The canine stared down at him with a scowl. ''I presume you are the leader of this...establishment.''

Grimmler tilted his head, gawking. ''Magic! Muchmuchmagic!''

''Why thank you, kind sir.''

''Magic! _Rrrrawka_!''

''Yes, yes, magic.'' The Cardmaster, irritably, nodded. ''I am The Cardmaster, the almighty, _magical _leader of all pirates. My power knows no bounds, gargoyle.'' The Seadog chuckled, ''I am practically a** god**.''

''Yiss, yiss, goodgood magic power...'' Grimmler smirked deviously. ''We hear 'bout yer travels, Master of Cardsa. Muchmuchpower, much much! Great pirate with dark 'bilities! Lotsa lotsa 'bilities! Willing to trade, yissss...''

''That's exactly what I wanted to here, goyle. I too am willing to trade, but there's a catch, my friend.''

Grimmler snarled, ''Grimmler no like catch. Badbad...I wanno catch!''

''Don't make this difficult, gargoyle. This is my only offer. And it's a rather_ good_ offer.'' The Cardmaster smirked, ''You like magic, don't you?''

''Yiss, yiss, created by powerful wizard in far 'way place. We dunno wizard anymore. We miss muchpower.'' Grimmler nodded.

''Well, then, what do you have to offer me?'' The Cardmaster looked down at the roughhousing gargoyles, snickering.

''_Oooah!_'' Grimmler's ears bounced upwards in excitement. ''_Crakawakwak! _Got good offer! Lookee there!'' Grimmler pointed to the side. The Cardmaster's eyes followed his gesture. A group of chained Kangarats were slinging pickaxes, hitting the wall, panting in fatigue.

''Those our slaves, heehee! _Suawrk_!'' Grimmler cackled. ''Hey, slaves!'' he then yelled amid the clamors of his flockmates. The Kangarats immediately flinched, stopping their work. Grimmler snickered, ''What d'you call a bear with no teef?''

The Kangarats were still frozen in complete silence.

''A gummy bear!'' Grimmler stamped his paw on the floor in a laughing fit. Perhaps it a squawking fit; The Cardmaster simply couldn't tell. Either way, it didn't sound pleasant.

Grimmler, realizing that the Kangarats were still quiet, bellowed. ''Laugh! Or else Grimmler gunna chop your rat tails up and force them down your throats!'' Much to his pleasure, the slaves followed his mirth. Grimmler proudly turned back to The Cardmaster. ''See? Grimmler good. They for finding gems. Gemmygemgems!''

''I see.'' The Cardmaster continued to stare at the Kangarats, whose laughter had been disfigured by slight sobbing.

''You wan' some slaves? They good for anything!''

''I have too many oafs to look after on the Esper already. How would they be any different?''

''Kangas good slaves, loyal, do anything. They fear for their lives, and that makes 'em work faster! Hah!'' Grimmler responded.

''Yawn.'' The Cardmaster denounced.

Grimmler growled, ''What d'you mean...Yawn?''

''I already have petty, little hitmen...and women.'' The Cardmaster waved a hand. He sighed. ''And they're all idiots.''

Grimmler grinned, ''Will make proud! Best killers, we best killers!''

''Killers?'' The Cardmaster rose a brow. ''You actually...'' he then broke out into laughter, hysterically. ''You really are the crack-up, Grimmler.''

''Huh? I tell no joke, Cardmaster. What funny?''

The Cardmaster grimaced. ''Oh, I'm sorry, you are mistaken. You see, what I meant is that you become slaves-''

''What?!'' Grimmler shrieked. ''S-s-s-slaves? I shall not participate in such petty work! I gargoyle, fierce creature, ruler of the night!'' Being a slave was the last thing Grimmler wanted to go through. After years of being free from orders and tasks and hardship just to find some stupid, magical substance, Grimmler couldn't imagine being send off to do groundless things again. Certainly, he and his subjects would need some sort of reward.

''**You **don't have to. They're hundreds of gargoyles down there. Hundreds! Just wasting their lives away in squabbles...Tsk tsk.''

Grimmler couldn't believe his ears. Like any gargoyle, he wasn't too smart. But he knew the difference between a good offer and a bad offer. This had definitely seemed like a terrible, terrible offer. His tribe wasn't The Cardmaster's to keep. But, all of that magic talk did seem nice. Grimmler was a king, the king of gargoyles, but being the supreme ruler of absolutely everything sounded like a dream. A wonderful, fantastic dream. They had all tried to follow in Kaos' footsteps, in fact, they had worked for him for a while. Kaos was a whiny, complaining little runt, though. He didn't seem like the Supreme Ruler of all of Skylands, or the Emperor, or the Destroyer of the Skylanders. The gargoyles weren't very nice house guests. Destroying things was their specialty, and destroy the did. Wild gargoyles were like untrained puppies, havoc trailing behind them wherever they went, always biting into something, peeing here and there, tracking muddy pawprints across the floor, and eating whatever they could get their paws onto. Kaos' offer of the **ULTIMATE STRENGTH TO DESTROY ALL OF SKYLANDS **was promising, while The Cardmaster's offer of almighty power was a little...dull. But, Kaos constantly failed with his schemes, while The Cardmaster was just better at villainy in a whole.

''It isn't a hard decision, gargoyle. Magic or not?''

The gargoyle king narrowed his cold, judging eyes. ''I don't like you.'' He was a royal and he wouldn't be reduced to following someone else's orders. With a snort, he lifted his snout into the air, snobbishly. Grimmler then, with the simple swipe of his big claw, wacked the orb off the cliff. He peered over the edge, intently, watching it plummet into the crowds of fighting gargoyles with a shattering crash. Grimmler bellowed down at the pieces to prove his dominance, ''_Rrrraaaka_! You no leader, never be leader, waterdog! I ruler of you!'' He whirled around to face the two gargoyles, who had still been watching the scene. ''You!''

''I-I?'' One of them pointed to himself, worriedly.

''Both of you! All of us! We pay visit to waterdog tomorrow. Very, very nice visit. You know what they say, the best way of doing something right is by eating the entrails of magical waterdogs.''


	14. Super Secrets

_D'aaaw, thanks blossomoranges! Your review really made my day. Reviews help, a lot, so thanks to everyone who's been doing so! Your feedback keeps me goin'! A favorite character list? I didn't know those guys were all so...likeable. Yiss, yisss, magical waterdog entrails. Magical is the best kind! Nom nom nom!_

_Enjoy readers! You've waited long enough! Lotsa Swap Force Shenanigans in this one..._

* * *

''No, no, nope, nada, not it.'' Ail was flipping through the pages of one of her books, hastily. She'd gone through all of them it seemed. Vast stacks of books almost surrounded her, some thrown carelessly into messy piles. The old mistress was looming over her cauldron, grimacing. She needed to ruin Skylands now. Not tomorrow, not a month later, not a year later. Now! She was becoming older by the second, well, her appearance anyway. Ail was really supposed to be alive and kicking, free from this horrid curse. Alas, she didn't care much for her looks anymore. Just as long as she could bring Skylands into peril, Ail was fine. But, she did happen to feel a twinge of envy directed to her own children. They didn't even look like they belonged to her!

Abruptly, there was a knock at the cottage's door. She looked up, irritably, and closed the book. Throwing the book onto the ground, she turned around to one of the bookshelves. The witch received her special cleaver off of the shelf. ''Hmm. A little bloody...'' Despite her messy ways, Ail, although a sadistic, psychopathic killer, usually cleaned her cleaver after a good chopping. Spreading infections to her specimen wouldn't do anything good. She licked some of the blood off as if the knife was some sort of popsicle, slowly. Clacking her beak, she savored the taste. ''Mmmmm...'' Ail slid her splotchy tongue in and out like some sort of snake. ''Stale...'' With a shrug, she happily swung her cleaver around with a hearty chuckle. ''Oh well! A murder is a murder, that's what I always say.''

With a horrible glint in her sickly eyes, she made her way over to the door, humming. Ail opened up the door and was nearly trampled with yowling sphinxes. Every, single cat rushed into the cottage, hurriedly. Every,** single** cat! Ail staggered back at the hoard, nearly tripping over her minions. It seemed to take a hour just until all of the cats arrived, which had ended with one, tiny kitten, who skittered in as well. Ail saw lightning flash before slamming the door shut, but she was too infuriated to really care about a measly storm. ''What in the devil was that for?!''

They mewed repeatedly, as if they had forgotten how to talk. Ail shouted, ''Oh, shut up! I better get an explanation or you're all going to have your wings chopped off! Start speaking, now!''

Some cats brushed up against the angry raven, in attempt to show their affection, purring. Ail loudly hissed, immediately scaring them and sending them scrambling away in terror. The mistress looked about with narrowed eyes. ''What's going on here?''

Shadeskin stepped forward, ''We've found something.''

''And I'm supposed to care that?''

Shadeskin flicked his tail at Darkstep, who obligingly scurried towards Ail. A scroll was in her maw. She carefully placed the scroll down on the floor. ''Go on, Master Ail. I think you'll quite like it.''

Ail rose a brow. ''I doubt that.'' She then leaned down, reaching for the parchment. Her spine made terrible, cracking noise, eliciting some queasy faces from the cats, while a few others actually seemed worried, like Shadeskin. Ail unraveled the scroll, much to the sphinxes enlightenment, since they started mewling again. Ail glared down at them and the cats quickly hushed their yowling, looking at their paws in shame. Ail let her eyes glaze over the written words on the page, quickly. ''...Great, shadow beasts of legend...yada yada...from another world...defeated by Portal Masters ages ago...blah...'' She veered her head to Shadeskin for a moment. ''Is this supposed to intrigue me? Whoever wrote this is just talking about a stupid, dead animal. Unless you brought one of these so-called...'' she narrowed her eyes. ''...Shadow Marauders ...for me to dissect, I am not compelled. If such _powerful_ creatures were defeated by a lousy group of snotty Portal Masters, it serves no purpose to me, your great master. It must be some foolish _predator_.''

''Keep reading, my mistress.'' Shadeskin replied.

''You do not give orders to me, cat. I give orders to you.'' Ail snapped. ''However, I _do_ want to see just how stupid this gets.'' Master Ail continued to read. ''Marauders are exceptional hunters. They have several rows of dark, black teeth, coated in paralyzing, stinging saliva. With their whipping tails, they can strike into the toughest of things, presumably able to kill with one blow. They are masters of discord and destruction. Together as a pack, nothing can stand in their way. Marauders have only one motive: to destroy everything in their path. They have an everlasting desire for carnage, and tend to eat their prey alive, whether a simple Mabu, or a powerful dragon, a sabertooth hunter, or even a legendary Arkeyan. With minds only filled with hatred for every, living thing, they only slaughter their enemies in the most horrific ways.'' She looked up from the scroll, a faint grin upon his face. ''Surprisingly, you've interested me...a little, Shadeskin.''

Shadeskin dipped his head. ''I knew you would like it, Master. It's simple, all the materials-''

Ail cut him off. ''It's _decent_. It promises to be a nice experience. Well, only if these so-called Marauders, aren't a big flop and complete waste of my time.'' She looked at all of the sphinxes again. ''Search the room for supplies. I'm too tired to do so myself.'' Ail stretched, her bones cracking once more. She flung her special cleaver into the wall, like always. ''Darkstep, fetch me my brewing stick.''

The sphinxes promptly scattered, searching like wild. Darkstep, surprisingly, hadn't gone through much junk to find what her master needed. The stick was quite large for her and it often tipped down as she wobbled around with it.

''Careful with that! You can't find sticks in nature like that nowadays.'' Ail snapped. Darkstep lowered her ears and drooped her tail in apology. She then quickly scurried towards the mistress, carefully releasing the stick into Ail's hands.

Ail grumbled something intelligible in thanks. She wasn't going to say 'thank you'; Ail was_ way_ too nefarious for that...At least in her eyes she was.

Darkstep smiled, ''You're welcome, my master.''

''Who gave you permission to speak?''

''No one, Master. I apologize...''

Ail snorted and dipped her stick into the brew, stirring. Darkstep leapt onto the stepstool next to Ail.

''Is there a reason why you're still here?'' Ail glowered at the sphinx.

Darkstep smiled.

''What?''

Darkstep smiled even more.

''What?!''

''I have a question.''

''I don't like questions.''

''But I'm curious, Master.''

''Curiousity kills cats. Haven't you heard? Don't make me _unalive _you, Duskpace.''

''My name's Darks-''

Ail stopped stirring to glare at Darkstep. ''Did I ask for you to correct me?''

''No, Master Ail.''

''Good kitty. Now, run off with the others...you're starting to annoy me.'' Ail grabbed Darkstep by the scruff.

''Wait, wait!'' Darkstep flailed her paws. ''I still haven't asked my question yet!'' It's about...those Seadogs? Who were they? The three, fluffy ones? I've seen pictures of them scattered around here...''

The mistress gently placed Darkstep back down. ''Oh...them._ Those_ three, fluffy ones...''

Ail never really talked about her children. And her minions never really talked about them either. Just mentioning one of their names would land a sphinx in a world of hurt...Or at least a day in the timeout zone. But even that reminded her of the days her pups would be trying to share the same timeout seat. Ail missed her little bandits, that was for sure. She wanted them back, dearly.

''Who are they?''

''Nobody special.''

''Were they your...''

''Darkstep, Mistress Ail doesn't like to converse about this topic for so long. I'm certain she won't hesitate to cut your tongue out.'' Shadeskin gently batted at Darkstep's tail. ''It's not a pretty process, trust me. Help us find some elixirs, Darkstep.''

Darkstep's fur rose, prickling with fear. She leapt from her seat. Shadeskin watched the discouraged Darkstep stalk off with her head hanging low. Once out of his sight, Shadeskin hopped onto _his_ rightful place. the stool. ''It is alright, my mistress. In time, they'll come back.'' His voice was a quiet whisper.

''How can you be so sure?'' Ail snapped. ''They've been living with The Cardmaster for months now.'' She then sighed. ''And it's felt like years...Why'd they have to choose him? Him of all the people here! That stupid Seadog!''

''I'm sure it could've been worse. The Purple Dragon could've taken them under his wing.''

''It already feels like Poochie has. She's obsessed with those Skylanders.''

Shadeskin patted Ail's shoulder. ''There, there, my mistress. You've raised her well. You've raised all of them well.''

''But how well enough?'' Ail countered. She heaved a raspy, defeated sigh and dipped her head in despair. ''I'm starting to get a headache. Let's stop the sappy crap. I-It's just not healthy for villains. It's just not right.''

Shadeskin frowned. ''A-as you wish, Master Ail; I understand.'' He looked down at his paws. Shadeskin never liked seeing Ail upset; it made him feel as if he had failed her.

''We're making monsters. This is supposed to be fun, Shadeskin! I really don't want to...tear up about this. It's not very evil.'' Ail stroked Shadeskin's silky fur. ''Don't you worry your pretty, little head.'' She patted him with a smile before turning back to view the sphinxes at their work, only to realize they were watching. The mob of winged cats was nearly encompassing her. They looked up at her in big, sad eyes, mewling.

Ail groaned. ''Curses! Damn you cats and your sensitive ears!'' she shook her fist at them. ''You're all going to sit in that corner when we're done with this...project. That corner right there.'' She pointed to a dull, dark corner of the room. The faint outlines of animal skeletons were in the shadows, foul smells of death drifting off from their bones. Ail smirked at their unnerved stares. ''But, until then, how about we make ourselves a monster, huh? How 'bout it?'' She then giggled. ''Well, you really don't have a choice in the matter, anyway. Alright, putrid maggots, step forward.'' Ail promptly shoved Shadeskin off, as hard as possible. ''Come one, come all.''

The cats got into a single, file line. A very long line, at that. There was practically a plethora of them. Ail considered herself to be a collector of sorts and the sphinxes were her most prized, rarest, collector items. Yes, she did treat them like dirt and insult them day by day. However, they were still very important. Once her girls left for good, Ail started to feel rather lonely. Only Shadeskin was there to keep her company, but he simply wasn't enough. Sure, she was able to listen to the squeals and squeaks of the distressed animals in their cages, but her pups had brought her joy like no other. In that odd mind of hers, the only cure was to find kittens to raise and care for as if they were her own.

However, kittens didn't stay tiny forever.

So now Ail had swarms of cats roaming about inside and outside of the cottage. Actually, it had become more of an addiction than a simple collector's passion. Now, as fully-grown sphinxes, Ail had a flip-flop relationship with them. One day she was snuggling with them in bed, the next she was threatening to kill all of them by slitting their throats in the middle of the night.

One by one, the sphinxes dropped their finds into the cauldron. As time passed, the usual, glowing green goo in the cauldron turned into a wicked, dark black. Overflowing, the sizzling liquid dripped from the cauldron like sticky sap. It burnt holes through the cottage's floorboards.

Ail hadn't been fazed. ''This place needs some renovation anyway.'' She turned to her favorite sphinx, Shadeskin. ''What do you think?''

''Oh, yes, this place is exceptionally drafty.'' Shadeskin nodded. ''The floor creaks, I get splinters in my paws, annoying bugs nest in my fur, and there are spider webs everywhe-''

Ail grabbed Shadeskin by his throat. ''Not the cottage, you fool!'' Releasing her grip, she forcefully turned his head towards the cauldron with a tight claw. ''The concoction!''

Shadeskin flinched. ''Oh, right, yes! Yes, I believe that we are done. We are most definitely finished.'' Nervously, he showed his teeth in an awkward smile. ''Heh heh.''

Ail scoffed. ''Bite your tongue before I permanently remove it, cat!''

Shadeskin shivered. ''Is...is that another saying or...?''

''Bite it! For your mistress, Shadeskin!''

Shadeskin gave Ail a reluctant look, his tongue barely peeking out of his maw.

Ail put her hands on her hips. ''You don't want to disappoint your mistress, do you?'' she asked, icily.

Shadeskin promptly slammed his teeth down onto his tongue. With a muffled cries, he span around in a little circle of misery. ''Mmmm-hmm-hmm-**hmm!**'' he whimpered.

Ail cackled. She slapped the sphinx on the back, although it was more like a vicious cuff. ''You always know just how to cheer me up, Shady!''

Shadeskin nodded. ''Mhmpfh!'' Slowly, he licked his chops and around his mouth. It was as if he had a wad of peanut butter stuck to the top of his mouth. ''Mwi togumpfh herts.''

''It's supposed to. It's **punishment**.'' Ail snorted.

''Blawd.'' Shadeskin stuck his tongue out, which had been puffy, a few dots of blood on it.

''You'll be fine.''

Shadeskin pawed at his tongue. ''Mmph.'' He shook his head, spitting. ''Eugh! I don't think I like my blood...'' the sphinx continued to press down on his puffy tongue.

Turning away from her companion with a snicker, she stared down at the inside of the cauldron. ''Ah, yes, yes.'' Ail grabbed a hold of her brewing stick and began to stir. ''I believe it is almost ready.''

''Almost?'' Shadeskin asked, befuddled. ''What ever is missing, my mistress?''

''Well, if it is my monster...'' Ail then looked about, searching for her cleaver. ''Ah, there it is!'' she strode over to the wall, happily. Tightly wrapping her hands around its hilt, she pulled on it...several times. Ail was no bodybuilder. Despite her threats, she really couldn't do anything without the help of her witchcraft or a sharpened knife. Now, with _splendid_ curse put upon her, the witch's arms looked a bit like sticks...even more than they had when she was a Seapoodle!

''Do you need assist-'' Shadeskin started.

In between strained grunts, Ail shouted back. ''Not now, rodent! I'm in the middle of something here!'' Hastily maneuvering the knife up and down, she growled. ''Come on, come on!'' Her attempts were only fruitless. Panting, as if it'd actually taken a lot out of her, she wiped her brow and scowled. ''Stupid knife!'' she spat.

''Mistress?''

''What?!'' Ail growled.

''Might I suggest...moving back?''

Ail stared at him as if he was crazy for a second, before tilting her head to a side with a 'hmm'. Reluctantly, with her claws still around the knife's hilt, she moved backwards and pulled.

And the cleaver slid out...

Ail stared at her reflection in the knife. ''That...miraculously worked! Well done, kitty!'' As she strode back to the cauldron, swinging her cleaver by her side in delight. As she passed by, Shadeskin closed his eyes in a purr, expecting some sort of reward. Unfortunately for the sphinx, no pets were given.

Ail hovered the underside of her rough hands over the brew. ''As I was saying...'' After skillfully spinning her cleaver for a quick laugh, she put the blade up to her palm. ''If it's _my_ monsters, it'll need _my_ blood.'' As if she was cutting bread and butter, Ail sliced her own hand without even a flinch of pain. Throwing her cleaver into the wall, once more, she snickered. ''A witch's blood is powerful, Shadeskin. A monster needs to be strong.''

Shadeskin winced as she repeatedly cut lines into her skin. ''...Why couldn't we have just fed it vegetables?''

''Hah! After all I had to go through with forcefully trying to get my youngest pup to eat them, I think not.'' Ail clenched her injured claw into a fist. Like wringing water out of a tower, Ail squeezed her fist, having blood trickled down from it and into the concoction. ''It's not that simple.'' Carelessly shaking her hand out, throwing blood just about everywhere, she grabbed her brewing stick. ''Now then...'' Ail cleared her throat. ''It appears it is time for the Stirring of the Stick.''

''Wait!''

''What is it now?'' Ail asked, irritably.

Shadeskin smiled. ''Can we do the 'double, double, toil and trouble' one this time?''

''The what?''

''You know...''

Ail never liked that one. It was too cheesy for her tastes. To her, it always seemed as if she was talking to petty children for an educational program rather than trying to bring a deathbringing monster into its horrifying existance. She'd much rather chant anything other than that disgrace to witches everywhere. Was Ail green and warty? Did she have a crooked hat? Did she ride on a broomstick off into the night? No! Just thinking of those horrid things made Ail cringe. Well, she _was_ starting to get a little warty..._Whatever_, Ail thought, _I'm still as gorgeous as a swan!_

Although, as pups, Ail did recall how her daughters loved when she chanted those words. They'd giggle and yip and clap their paws at their Mommy's performance, gleefully. Their sweet, sweet laughter replayed in her mind like a record. Ail, not wanting to be bothered by the thought of memories, shook her head. Wistfully, the mutant sighed, and looked down at her raptor-like feet. Rubbing her temples in distress, she groaned. ''Okay...'' Ail softly replied. ''Just this once, though! After this, we go back to hellishly chanting! Understand?''

Shadeskin dipped his head. ''I understand.''

Lifting her arms up as if to present something spectacular, she cleared her throat, not like it would make such a difference to her hoarse voice, and recited the famous words. ''Double, double...''

''Toil and trouble!'' The sphinxes yowled along with her.

''Fire burn, and cauldron bubble!'' they all shouted in unison.

Ail, with held breath, stared intensely at the cauldron, her hawk eyes focused onto it as if it was prey. The sphinxes followed her lead, flying up to get a closer look.

''Shh!'' Ail hushed them. ''The flap of your wings shall no doubt disturb the mighty beast's awakening.'' she whispered.

As they started to apologize, Ail only scolded them more, and they slowed down their wingbeats. Satisfied, Ail turned back to the cauldron, a wicked smile upon her face. ''Soon...'' she rubbed her hands together. ''Very soon...Skylands shall be mine.'' She flopped her tongue, swiping it awkwardly around her mouth.

They waited...and they waited...and they waited.

And nothing, absolutely nothing, happened at all. Silence stretched on for seemed like hours, no, days, as they all stared at the cauldron.

''Oh dear.'' Shadeskin frowned, finally breaking the silence. The whole concoction of dark randomness fell flat like a weak soda. Abruptly, the skull of some animal indistinct popped up from the black goop, coated with the icky substance. Shadeskin sniffed at the brew, tentatively. He recoiled at its foul stench, rubbing a paw over his muzzle. ''Oh dear.'' he repeated. ''Mistress Ail, perhaps we should add some more of The Darkness? Petrified Darkness, this time? I heard there's tons of it that was scattered across Skylands from Mount Cloudbreak. Marauders are offsprings of everything evil, forged from...'' Shadeskin stopped as he realized that his master wasn't listening to him. Ail just stood there, slack-jawed(or slack-beaked, rather).

''Master?'' Shadeskin poked her with a paw, carefully. ''Are you alright?''

''Th...that...'' Ail finally started to respond, stumbling over her words.

''Th-that?'' Shadeskin tried to understand her squawks, his ears flicking as he strained them.

''Tha-tha-that...''

''Tha?''

Ail's face contoured from disbelief to anger in a heartbeat. Her brows furrowed, her eyes narrowed, and her feathers bristled up as if they were shaking in the wind. ''Grrr...'' Slamming a fist onto the rim of the cauldron, she shrieked. ''That's it?!''

Shadeskin's fur rose. ''May-maybe we should wait a little l-'' Shadeskin started.

''That's iiiiit?!'' If Ail was a Fire Dragon, smoke would most definitely be puffing from her nostrils. ''Stupid!'' She kicked the cauldron, only to squeak at the pain of her stubbed toes.

Concerned, Shadeskin rose to his feet. ''Are you alright, Master Ail?''

''Augh, I should've known that this would just be another waste of time! Another absolute failure!''

''...We didn't fail, we just...found out way of doing it wrong.''

Ail snapped her head towards the sphinx.

Shadeskin promptly looked at his paws. ''This was certainly a terrible, horrible failure.''

Ail, outraged, hissed at the winged cat. ''What was **THAT**? You were supposed to make me feel better!'' With a scoff, she laughed hysterically, shaking her head in disbelief. ''And to think that this was actually going to work! Hah! I mean, we used up half of our supplies on this...th-this atrocity!''

''Please don't get mad.''

''Mad? I'm not mad. I'm not mad...I'm furious. I'm livid. I'm agitated.'' Ail tapped her nails onto the rim of the cauldron. With what sounded as to be a canine growl, which was kind of strange coming from a lanky, hunched over bird-woman, her pupils shrunk, targeting Shadeskin. ''I'm pissed.''

''Now, now, Mistress Ail, anger isn't the best resolution for-''

Ail gave him another look. A rasp rattled up in her throat. Bright, green fire clustered around her claws, and with a hiss, she blasted Shadeskin off the stepstool. With a yowl, the sphinx stopped, dropped, and rolled, having the others of his clan to pat the fire from his feathers. Regaining himself, he shook himself off. Shadeskin, carefully, walked up to his master. ''Mistress...I know that you're mad but-''

Seething, Ail raised a claw, the flame surrounding it increasing in size. Quickly, Shadeskin lowered to the ground, scooting back and mewling in fear. Ail lifted her head to the ceiling, parting her beak in a shrill, banshee scream, formed from pure fury. The other sphinxes followed Shadeskin's lead and dropped to the floor. Some put their paws over their ears and some shut their eyes. But just about everyone was begging, pleading, praying that they wouldn't die on this stormy night. Except for Darkstep, who stood as if she had been totally oblivious to her surroundings.

Shrieking like mad, the witch put on a light show. She hovered with her witchcraft, looking more imposing than ever as her evil shadow loomed over all of her minions. Energy sparked from her talons, its sinister aura outlining the villain's body. The sparks soon turned into violent, broiling lightning that she fired carelessly around the room, at the walls, at the roof, at the floor. Bits of dusty wood plummeted from above. Books were randomly flung about like dangerous projectiles. The lights, which were already terrible to begin with, flickered on and off at the intensity of Ail's witchcraft. Glass containers shattered completely, their fillings splattering onto the floor below. Bookcases toppled over, nearly crushing a few sphinxes in the way.

The sphinxes yowled along with her. However, unlike Ail, they were in pain more than enraged. Darkstep watched them as they huddled up together in terror, flicking her tail from side to side. Why wasn't she cowering? Why wasn't she wailing?

Darkstep padded forward without fear, none what so ever. ''Mistress Ail...''

Threateningly, she looked down upon Darkstep as if she were a tiny ant, hissing.

Darkstep locked her eyes with Ail's. ''Please...stop this madness.''

For a moment, Ail thought of saying something snarky in response. But as the witch's gaze drifted away to the shivering mass of dark cats, her demonic eyes softened. They were scared.

They were terrified.

Ail looked to one sphinx and realized that she was trying to protect her kits, the little ones mewling under her belly. Ail's eyes darted off to more of her minions.

They too were doing the same, with kittens huddling under their mothers.

She didn't want to...Ail shook her head, trying to clear away her thoughts. Her magic wisped away and she let her feet touch the ground. She didn't want any of this. Ail massaged the sides of her head with a low croak. Breathing out a sigh, the witch looked down. Ail parted her beak to say something, but slowly closet; she couldn't find her tongue. Frowning, she turned her back on the sphinxes. ''I'm...'' In a murmur, Ail said, ''I need to go.''

Shadeskin, cautiously, stepped forward. ''Mistress...''

''I **need** to rest!'' Ail abruptly snapped, steely. Her companion immediately jumped back, paws scrambling. Letting her head hang in misery, Ail softly cawed. ''I need to rest...'' she repeated. Like a sad sack, she fumbled into the shadows and, finally, headed to her room. ''Don't bother me...please. I have a headache...''

* * *

Poochie mumbled softly to herself. The she-beard was in a deep sleep, face buried down in her dainty, soft pillow. Unlike the other Seadogs, the Trio were treated like princesses, given the absolute best of the best by The Cardmaster. Counting sheep hadn't come hard to any of them. They all slept on bunkbeds, for the sisters usually did everything together. Although rickety and quite fragile, it hadn't bothered any of them much; at least they weren't sleeping on rocks or something. Poochie, like always, was dreaming. She barely rarely had nightmares, and any true nightmares were her not being able to meet the Skylanders. Her dreams were typically all about happiness, sunshine, happiness, lots of pink, happiness, and, of course, the Skylanders. Ah, it was beautiful...

The grass beneath her felt just like soft, cotton candy. She awed, continuously pressing her petite foot into the ground and smiling at its comfortable texture. With a delighted laugh, Poochie fell back onto the grass, starting to roll around, happily. And then she realized that she was not alone. Skylanders. Skylanders everywhere. They emerged out from the pink bushes. Excitedly, they too fell, and started to roll around in the grass, cheerily, even the gloom-and-doom ones. The Giants hit the ground with huge thuds, and the Swappers had made quite the entrance, like always. There were a lot of Skylanders; some she hadn't even seen before. To the sides of her, lay Rainbow and Jewel, otherwise known as Whirlwind and Flashwing. Someone had tapped her shoulder, a shadow casting over her, immediately making her look up. Stink Bomb was staring down at her, smiling, hovering over her body with his paws on the ground, almost in a push-up position. He looked better than ever...

A dog toy, one resembling a Chompy, was in his mouth. He flirtatiously snickered and moved one brow up and down. This certainly wasn't any average Stink Bomb; he would've been shivering by now! This wasn't the regular Mouffy...because this one had pecs! Glorious, astounding pecs! His amazing abs tightened. Poochie panted. Now, Poochie was the one shivering.

''I've been waiting for you...'' Stink Bomb murmured.

Poochie stammered. ''I-I...I too? I-I-I mean, me too!''

Stink Bomb whispered. ''You wanna...play?'' He chomped down on the toy, which instantaneously squeaked.

Poochie nodded. ''I would love to.'' she softly replied.

''Tag.'' Stink Bomb gently touched Poochie, before getting up and scurrying off on his fours. Poochie couldn't turn down a game, so, she, with the happiest of smiles on her face, dashed after the handsome Swampskunk into the forest, on her fours as well. But, it wasn't long until she lost sight of Stink Bomb; he was just too sneaky. They were supposed to be playing tag, not hide and seek! Poochie lifted her ears a bit. There had still been a squeaking noise, almost as if he was trying to lure her. Now she wasn't even sure what game he was trying to play...

Following the squealing of the toy, she searched for the Swampskunk, stopping upon a tree. Stink Bomb's tail had been sticking out from behind it, waving. Poochie peeked around the other side of the tree, only to find that he was not there. Had he disappeared? Again?

''So you do like** like** him!''

Ail hung off from one of the lower branches by her feet, like a bat, face-to-face with her daughter.

Poochie stumbled back at little in surprise. ''Mommy?!''

Ail vanished in a poof of dark mist. When she returned, Ail was hugging Poochie tight, giggling. ''Yes! Mommy's here, precious, little one!''

Poochie, just like playful games, couldn't turn down a hug. But, she was still quite shocked at Ail's arrival. ''What're you doing here? N-n-not that I don't want you here it's just-''

''Well, a minion gave me the brilliant idea of visiting, my wittle baby boos! I've been in your sisters' dreams already.'' Ail then looked at her surroundings with a puzzled expression. I have to say...your dream is weird...And pink. It's like you covered all of Skylands with cotton candy! What a odd, evil plan, sweetie. Anywho...'' Abruptly, Ail pinched Poochie's cheeks, making cutsy-wootsy noises, the kind someone would make to an adorable pet. ''Oh, Poochie, I've heard the big news!''

''Great!'' Poochie then blinked, grimacing in confusion. 'What-what big news?''

''You don't know? Oh, don't make me laugh, Poochie-Woochie. You've got yourself a new, puppy crush! Ah, how it warms my cold, wicked heart to see two, young lovebirds...Ugh...what's happening to me? I should at least be vomiting by now. But, I guess I should be happy that at least one of us is getting some tender affection.''

This was bad. Real bad. Her last puppy crushes ended up disappearing, without a trace. Whenever questioned Ail usually said something about being 'to die for' or shrugged or didn't even say anything at all. ''Wha...what puppy crush? I have no idea about what you're talking about. Heheh.'' Poochie turned away, crossing her arms.

''Why of course you do! I'm pretty sure you know him quite well.''

''Uh-uh.''

''Green, has a big, fluffy tail, smells bad, no visible ears or nose, short snout, featureless eyes, smells terrible, martial artist, skittish, master and creator of Kung Fume, goes by Senpai Mouff-Mouff...Did I mention he smells horrid? And that he's a Skylander.''

Poochie rubbed her arm, sheepishly. ''Yeah...that's my Stink Bomb.''

''Ah, yes, I remember your first puppy crush. That Wolfgang criminal, I believe. You used to listen to his bootleg tracks all the time, the ones I used to steal for you. It was adorable.''

''Mommm...''

''What? Am I embarrassing you? There's no one around, dear.''

''Stink Bomb's not like the others. He's different. And he's not a puppy crush.''

''Then what is he? Your boyfriend?''

Poochie curled her ear's fur around her finger. ''No...He's just a...a...special friend. A special, special friend.''

''Right, right. A special friend. A **special** friend...If you don't like the word 'boyfriend', is he your beau, perhaps? A mate? A partner?''

''Can we change the topic?''

''Just don't let him brainwash you, hon. I can't stand when that happens. No Skylander is going to ruin my little girl with their oh so heroic, nauseating goodness! I will make sure that their...defeat will be a very, excruciatingly painful experience. A very slow, excruciatingly painful experience. I'll rip out their innards right in front of their eyes, chopping them up in little, tiny pieces for my min-''

Poochie stared. She was never fond of the idea of murder. Never in a million years could she see herself strangling someone with their own intestines. It just seemed...wrong. Ail seemed to think that spilling blood solved just about everything, even the littlest of problems.

Ail cleared her throat. ''Sorry. It's just a hammy villain thing, dear. You'll start doing that sooner or later. Comes and goes...''

''But I'm not a villain. I'm an anti-hero! I-I think...''

''Ohhhh, you.'' Ail snickered. ''You are still a child at heart.'' She held Poochie's paws close. ''You haven't changed at all, dear. And you're a villain, nothing else. My little villain.'' Ail then ruffled Poochie's puffy hair, and the Seapoodle giggled in response.

''Yeah, Cards thinks I'm a child too...''

Ail frowned. ''Cards?''

''The Cardmaster...You know, my captain.''

''Oh, yes, of course.'' Ail grimaced. ''Your captain...'' she finished with an icy hiss and the roll of her eyes. Poochie didn't understand most things, but the relationship between Ail and The Cardmaster was a no-brainer. In the Trio's puphood, Ail used to always remind them that men just couldn't be trusted. Therefore, the three never were able to go that far away from the cottage, for Ail believed that ruthless men were lurking everywhere. There was a strict policy of no boyfriends, that the two youngest and oldest followed. Poochie, on the other hand...usually came back with several boys of all different flavors. And whenever a new boy arrived, Ail would promptly threaten him, that is if he hadn't ran away from the sight of a creepy, old raven with a giant, bloody cleaver in her hands. She claimed that she was being a good mother, doing the best for her children. Being a single mother was no walk in the park. ''How's that hair-losing fleabag been? Hasn't harmed a single hair of yours, has he?''

''He's been fine! Well, except for yesterday, he kind of went into a little tantrum..''

''Such an insolent pup!'' Worry then struck Ail like lightning. ''Wait! Did he hurt you? Did he hurt your sisters? I swear, I'll-''

Poochie shook her head. ''No. He didn't hurt any of us. But, heh, I can't say the same for the others on the Esper; he started attacking his own crew!'' she chuckled.

''Idiocy.'' Ail put her beak into the air and crossed her arms, ''Hmph. Your father wouldn't participate in such childish actions. Your dad was the **king** of all villains! True Ruler of the Seven Seas! He was dubbed 'The Dog of Disorder'!'' She shuddered, but in a good way, with a wicked smile, almost as if something cold had slinked up her spine. Her feathers ruffled in delight. ''Oh, that man.'' she cooed. ''Ohhh, that man...With his dark, tender skin, those petrifying eyes, those sharp, pointed ears, those thick muscles, that commanding voice...'' She breathed in, shakily. ''Ooooh! A sly jackal, he was. A god of death! And, well, disorder. The best villain that ever existed. He was a force to be reckoned with! A real scheming sort of guy. A bad guy. I bet if he was still alive he'd slay Kaos with the simple flick of his finger.''

Poochie woofed in amusement. She really never knew her father; she and her siblings had been born sometime after his death. They only truly knew him from the great stories Ail told them when they were only pups and the few pictures in the cottage. But, Poochie knew that he would probably be the best father in the whole, entire world! Deep down, she knew that he was still out there! However, Ail never mentioned anything about 'dark, tender skin', it was usually 'brown, ragged fur'.

''Um, Mommy...''

''Yes, my sweet?''

''What was Daddy?''

Ail was obviously taken aback by the question, her usual, squinted eyes buldging with surprise. She tilted her head. ''What do you...mean?''

''Like...what was he?''

_''He_ _was a Seadog.''_

''Just a Seadog?''

''An **unnatural** Seadog. Like The Cardmaster. And like me.''

''Ohhhhh.'' Poochie nodded. ''Right...'' Was that plausible? Were there black Seadogs out there? Were there hairless Seadogs out there? Poochie narrowed her eyes in deep thought.

Seadog or not, there was definitely something Ail hadn't told her.

''It's nothing, dear. He was just...different.'' Ail explained to the best of her abilities. ''Okay?''

Poochie nodded slowly. ''...Okay.''

Ail stared deeply into the eyes of her daughter. ''You know, you really do have his eyes.''

Poochie smiled, rosy cheeks flushing as she tried to hide them with her ears.

''Your father would be very proud of you.'' Ail poked Poochie in the nose with a smirk. ''You and your sisters are sneaky, little things! True villains! Ah, it's just so great to know that I produced such precious deviants. If only he could see you now...''

Poochie's eyes veered off, staring into space. ''Yeahhh...'' she drawled. ''It'd be great to meet him...It'd be great...If only there was some way to find him.''

Her abruptly ears perked up.

What if there was a way to find him? Like an adventure! A quest to find The Dog of Disorder! Yeah, she liked the sound of that!

''You seem to have forgotten that I can read your mind, Poochie.'' Ail said. ''I doubt he's even alive. The whole crew was gobbled up by that whale. And a captain always goes down with his ship. Always. He drowned or he was devoured. Either way, he's dead. **D-E-A-D.** Dead.''

''You don't have, I don't know, just a little string of hope in you?''

''Nope. I can't hold onto things like that, its left in the past. Live goes on and all that other...smushy stuff. If I kept on thinking about him, I would miss out on all the fun of evildoing! And I can't miss out on evildoing!''

''Well, what about that story with the talking cricket and wooden puppet? That old guy was able to live inside a giant fish!''

''Those were story tales I read to you at night when your sisters pushed you out of bed.''

''It could happen! Anything can happen in Skylands! He-he could've faked his death!''

Ail sighed. ''Oh, sweet, sweet child.'' Placing her talons onto her child's shoulders, she cooed, ''Keep on dreaming, hon. Keep on dreaming.'' She pecked a kiss onto her daughter's forehead. ''Keep on...''

Poochie nuzzled her and Ail nuzzled back.

''I'm gonna find him.'' Poochie whispered.

''Do whatever your heart desires.'' They stood there for a few, good, long seconds of silence, relishing the moment, until Ail's figure began to fade. The mother hissed in distaste, muttering something under her breath before smiling cheerfully at Poochie. ''Well, I...I guess I have to leave now.'' She looked down in dismay. ''This dream thing only lasts for a while, you know.'' Ail looked back up. ''Let's make this snappy and not sappy, shall we?'' With a mischievous, crooked grin, Ail attacked her daughter with an abundance of kisses.

''Mamaaaan, arrêter!'' Poochie whined. ''Sttttoppp!''

Ail flinched at the sudden French. She pondered for a while. After a quick spark of an idea, she replied back. ''J'ai obtenu mon sucre! Hah!'' Besides The Dog of Disorder, the whole family was French, for Ail grew up in a little village where the language was most predominate. Her little ones only learned it from her around the cottage household. ''Adieu!'' After blowing some more kisses, Ail waved, backing up.

''Au revoir!'' Poochie waved back.

''Bye-bye!''

''Toodles!''

''Buh-bye!''

Poochie frowned, for Ail had just about vanished, barely visible to her eyes. ''Goodbye, mother.'' she said in a hushed whimper. With Ail gone, the beautiful landscape began to deteriorate as well. Poochie watched as everything seemingly cloaked itself, as if the scenery was purposefully trying to hide itself from her, disappearing one by one. Rather unexpectedly, a blinding light covered the land. Turning away from the luminosity with a yelp, she concealed her eyes with her paws.

* * *

Poochie awoke...with a pouty face. Lifting her lips, she growled through her menacing, shark teeth. Throughout her snarls, she muttered. ''I'm so angry!'' The Seapoodle hoisted herself up from her bed and slung off her sleeping mask. Why was Ail being so...so cagey?! It didn't make any sense! Didn't she deserve to know who her own father was? Why was her own mother keeping secrets? It wasn't like Poochie was some sort of spy or anything. It was like Ail couldn't trust her own daughter, her flesh and blood! Did the Dog of Disorder _want _his total existence to be a secret? Why? Was he some sort of celestial beast like an Ancient or something? An Arkeyan? No, Arkeyans were robots, not dogs. So, was he some sort of dangerous weapon supposed to be kept a secret from society? No, that didn't sound right either.

What really was the Dog of Disorder, anyway? Something deformed? A furless Seadog? With long, pointed ears? Poochie had never heard of anything like that, and she was well educated in the understanding of several species, reading most of Ail's bestiary books in her puphood as she waited to finally leave the nest. Her father must've been a pretty weird-looking guy.

Poochie sniffed, stifling a little whimper, her rage soon turning into sadness. Blinking her watery eyes, she scolded herself. ''Keep it together, girl. Keep it together...'' However, she simply could not keep it together. Putting her paws over her eyes, the Seapoodle let out a high-pitched wail. ''I never knew my father!'' she cried aloud. ''Why? Why?!'' Poochie shook her head. ''Why, why, whyyyy?!'' she rubbed at her eyes. Abruptly, after a few, good _waaaahs_, she silenced herself...as she realized that something was strange.

Their door had been left ajar, an unusual thing for the Trio's room. The guards, who ever The Cardmaster chooses for patrol, would stride up and down the halls, closing each and every door. They would only lock up the Trio's room, as consequences were sure to come to all of them if they ever disappeared.

Curiously, Poochie looked about. ''Hmm.'' With a shrug, Poochie flopped back down onto bed, attempting to regain her perfect position. Closing her eyes, she sighed. ''One day, Dad...'' As she lulled off to sleep, her ears lifted at the sound of quiet squabbling, as if they had minds of their own.

''She dead?''

''No, she sleep.''

''We need t'make dead.''

''No, not the leader, this fluffball.''

All of those creaky, creepy whispers didn't sound like anyone she knew...Poochie didn't take any mind to it, burying her face into her pillow, until she heard her youngest sister shriek.

''Eeeek! Rats! Big, hideous rats!'' Candy had jolted up, yipping.

Cookie mumbled. ''We're on an old pirate ship. What did you expect?''

''Rats with wings! And horns! They're absolutely horrid! Positively vile!''

That had made Cookie jolt up too. ''Rats with wings? Genetic mutations? Oh. No. They're just gargoyles. Augh, go back to bed, Candy.'' She settled back down...only to jump back up. ''Gargoyles?!''

Suddenly, the room was filled with high-pitched squeals and cries. Poochie soon realized that she wouldn't be going back to sleep, much to her dismay. She tried to cover her ears with her pillow. ''What is that noise?''

''Poochie!'' The other girls shouted amid infuriated chatter.

Poochie, heaving a irritable sigh, which was quite odd for her, propped up. Shocked squeaks sounded as she moved. Blinking her groggy eyes, her blurry vision eventually focused abundance of glowing eyes staring at her. Poochie smiled. ''Oh, hello...''

The small gargoyles were huddling up together, cocking their heads at the Seapoodle. Poochie held out her paw, ''I'm Poochie!''

Cookie spoke up. ''Um, Poochie, now's not the right time to introduce yourself to our...guests. Now is the time to retreat.''

''But they're so cute!''

''**POOCHIE!**'' Cookie snarled.

''Alright, before you start nagging about how irresponsible I am, we don't even know if these cuties are our enemies or not. Maybe they don't want to attack us. Maybe we scared them.''

Cookie sighed in disbelief. ''Why do I even try?'' she mumbled. Regaining calmness, breathing in and out, she explained slowly. ''They're gargoyles, Poochie. They're not kittens.''

''I know that!'' Poochie protested. She then turned to the winged creatures with a curious look. ''Are you sure they're not baby seals?'' With a little, happy yip, she beamed at the gargoyles. ''They look kinda like baby seals.''

''How in the world would a seal get on a Skyship?''

''Winged baby seals! Duh!''

''Tu n'es pas ma soeur...I think you need glasses, Poochie. And maybe a new brain...''

''Orrrr...what if they're deformed, flying wombats!'' Poochie rambled. After clearing her throat, she stuck a paw out. ''How 'bout a spot o' tea, wot, wot?! ''

Cookie put a paw to her face. ''Poochie, th-"

''It's not?'' Poochie then let out a whine. ''That was offensive, wasn't it? Oh, now I feel bad!'' She grabbed the nearest gargoyle, hugging it as if it was one of her stuffed animals. ''Je suis tellement désolé!''

''Aaaa!'' Candy squirmed about on bed, being covered in a gray layer of squabbling gargoyles. ''Oh, they're all over me! The horror! Help me! Help me! This is terrible! Absolutely dreadful! They've probably got fleas and everything!'' she cried. ''They're going to suffocate me, the filthy ruffians! Brutes! Oh, they're messing up my hair! Cookie, sister! Aidez-moi! I'm going to _die_! Rabies! Oh, help me!''

Cookie turned to look at the little gargoyle by her side, who sniffed at the Seapoodle. ''See what I have to deal with? Do you see?'' With a sigh, she gazed outside the sliver of light from the door. There was Redfur stumbling about...with a gargoyle attached to his face. To be exact, a bunch of Seadogs were out in the hall, barking, yipping, scampering, running for their lives like madmen as a hoard of gargoyles chased after them. Redfur didn't stand a chance, as he was trampled by both Seadog and gargoyle. Cookie stifled an amused, nerdy snort. ''Well, that just made my day. Oh, my. Would you look at that?'' she said with a chuckle. ''Isn't this just an _enthralling_ comedy of errors?''

The little gargoyle only chirped at her, bobbing its head like a bird.

''Hm, you look like a nice specimen...Alas, that will have to wait.'' Cookie, with a smile upon her face for once, patted the munchkin on its head. Commandingly, Cookie barked. ''Sisters!''

''Yes?'' they asked, Poochie lovingly cuddling a bunch of tiny gargoyles, and Candy having her hair pulled by curious claws.

''Okay, we have to get out of this room.'' Cookie said. ''I'll start a countdown. Three numbers. Understood?''

Candy yipped. ''Understood! Just get these mindless **savages** off of me!''

''Poochie?''

Poochie lifted her ears. ''Wh-wha? Oh, yeah, right, countdown.'' she gently placed the gargoyles down.

''Understood, Pooch?''

''Yeah, yeah, whatevs.''

''Okay...one-''

Poochie leapt from her bed in a skillful backflip. ''The kunoichi retreats...into battle!'' she dashed outside into the clutter of madness. ''Ataaaaaaack!''

Incredulously, Cookie shook her head and shouted. ''We were supposed to retreat at three!''

With a Chihuahua-sounding growl, Candy tumbled off her bed, hitting the ground with a thud. ''Yipe!''

Leaning her head over the side of the bed, Cookie blinked at her fallen sister. ''Candy?'' she asked, worriedly.

After a long pause, the most extremely exaggerated gasp sounded. ''My nail! No—wait—all of my nails! Broken!'' Candy wailed.

Cookie simply rolled her eyes. After getting down from her bed, she rescued her blanket-cocooned sister, and the two stepped outside...only to step back into their room. There was no way they were going into that mess. There were too many gargoyles! It was madness! They weren't even attacking...just running, like a stampede.

However, they could clearly see a Jabb riding on the backs of several of the beasts, standing proud as he whipped them like cattle with his tail. ''The huntah commands every beastie!''

Poochie was with him, wooping. ''We ride! The kunoichi, she is victorious!''

They both highfived each other. ''Huzzah!''

Cookie exchanged a glance with her Candy. ''...I think we should sit this one out.''

''Oh, thank heavens!'' Candy sighed. ''I much rather like watching the fights than being in one.'' She stroked at her ears, meticulous. ''Too much humidity for my hair...''

* * *

The voyage had been stopped for its first pitstop. One of the rusty turbines on the Malicious Mongrel had stopped completely. The whole Skyship seemed as if it was about to break down at any second anyway. It'd looked better than the old Dreadnaught, but it still definitely needed some work. The trekkers weren't very awake at the time. All throughout their sleep, they'd been awoken by the creaking noise of the floorboards, or the Mongrel's side sliding across the edge of a block of land, or the loud cackles of playful dolphins in the seas or the moans of the flying Sky Creatures. It was always something, whether the jolly howls of Rotclaw's ditties, or even the snores of themselves.

Their Snapper victim seemed pretty harmless so far, except for the fact that he liked to chew on things. Usually someone's tail...Most of his words were random, slurred babble that no one could really understand. He didn't talk as much, which seemed completely impossible for a Skylander like Freeze Blade to do. That's like seeing the hyperactive Fire Kraken doing absolutely nothing for a whole week or hearing that the daredevil Boom Jet didn't actually want to endanger his life for once. Freeze Blade had taken a liking to acting like different animals, his favorite being a dog. Other times when he was mimicking a horse, he would canter, and kick random things, including other teammates. As a turtle, Freeze Blade would just drop to the floor and curl up, waiting for someone to push him someplace.

Magna Charge had been getting quite wary of Freeze Blade's antics. That bite was obviously messing his brain up a bit. Smooth sailing wouldn't be ahead if the injury got worse. Being an intelligent Tech Skylander on the team, Magna Charge had already filled his mind with information. New information about Snappers and their venom, that is. According to some scientists, a female Snapper will push forth her tiny egg or eggs into a fresh wound. However, unlike the scary movies, these alien-like creeps used their tails to impregnate, producing sticky sacs into the open injury. Females were exceptionally smaller than the males, roughly about the size of Earth Portal Master's pinky finger. Due to their size, it was easier for them to be unnoticed by their victim. Not that they would actually need to be on the small side, as their venom would instantly knock anything out for a few, good hours.

The parasitic, little ones will stay there until reaching full size for a youngling, which, frankly, is about the same size as the females. But, once free of their host, they will dart off into the world, leaving nothing but a bloody trail in their wake. And the host? Sometimes, the host would just die. That certainly hadn't seemed very nice. Other studies say the host would eventually go insane...and proceed with suicide. And that hadn't seemed very nice either.

It was a happy and sad ending: the Snapper hatchlings would live on with their life, but the host would have an untimely demise. Luckily, most of the cases were from adventurers, and they said that they were fine in the end. Apparently, Snapper babies would die without proper nutrients...which meant Freeze Blade would most likely have to starve himself. A hungry Skylander definitely wasn't a happy Skylander, everyone knew that. Thankfully, the bite looked the same as has been. However, it was still urgent that they treat the wound with something, anything, before bad things could happen.

_You're always welcome at Woodburrow, Skylanders._

Woodburrow had healers...But The Cardmaster was still on the Malicious Mongrel's tail, which meant wherever they went, the Esper wouldn't be far behind. Leading dangerous pirates to Woodburrow wouldn't be the smartest of ideas; that would practically be murder. The Cardmaster was out for every village, and like any pirate would, he went through with the harshest ways of getting what he wanted. Skylanders were supposed to bring justice, not mayhem.

Wash Buckler, Blast Zone, and Rotclaw were outside, fixing the turbine, while the others were still indoors. Frankly, Magna Charge didn't want to leave Freeze Blade with his teammates, who knew absolutely nothing about Snappers. Something could most definitely go awry.

''Read more.'' Fire Kraken urged. His tail beat against the wall and thumped on his mattress in excitement. ''This Ail and Cardmaster stuff is really starting to get juicy!''

The Swappers(well, those who weren't Snapper hosts)were listening to Hoot Loop read The Cardmaster's notes aloud as he hovered in the middle of the room, intensely. The others lay awake in their bunkbeds, which the Skylanders had precisely planned out for their SWAP Zone types. For instance, Fire Kraken rested on the top bunk, while Rattle Shake was curled upon the bottom bunk. However, none of the Swappers had really iked it much, as the mattresses weren't exactly cruise ships material, the pillows felt like rocks, and the blankets... mysteriously smelled of mothballs. But despite all the uncomfortable attributes, after several tosses and turns, they learned to adapt to the best of their abilities. Alas, they wouldn't be getting much sleep at a time like this anyway; these stories were just too good to miss!

In midst of a lot of the tales, Magna Charge couldn't help but notice that Night Shift kept a very, very close eye on Freeze Blade. The Frost Feline hadn't been doing anything really; he was just lying still, staring at something that seemed only visible to his cat eyes. It was the most quietest he'd ever been that day...

He truly did look like a mindless zombie.

A really sad, mindless zombie.

Magna Charge wasn't sure who to feel sad for: Freeze Blade or Night Shift. What was Freeze Blade without Night Shift? And what was Night Shift without Freeze Blade? Sad sacks of gloomy, depressed Skylanders, that's what.

The others seemed so optimistic; that no harm would be brought onto Freeze Blade whatsoever. Magna Charge decided to keep it that way. He wouldn't risk telling them the gruesome facts. That'd just muck up things further. _If you don't have anything good to say Magna, don't say it at all, _he reminded himself. For now, the Ultron would just have to look at the lighter things in life.

''Okay, okay...'' Hoot Loop flipped through the book. ''Ah, here's one!''

''Wait...'' Spy Rise interfered.

Hoot Loop looked up.

''Shouldn't we be...reading more about his abilities? And maybe his past? And what he plans on doing to conquer Skylands?'' Spy Rise asked. He rubbed his chin, pondering. ''Everything that's in there is probably classified information.''

''Yeah, it's his _diary_!'' Fire Kraken exclaimed with a cheeky smile and a snorting guffaw.

''It's probably hard to find anything through all that colorful chicken scratch.'' Free Ranger commented.

''Hey!'' Stink Bomb immediately took offense. ''It's not chicken scratch, it's beautiful scribbles of art. Masterpieces...''

''You're only saying that because your _soul mate _drew them.'' Trap Shadow teased.

''Exactly! Wait-noooo, no, I just like...unique artwork. It's abstract. She's actually pretty good at drawing us.''

''I looked like a bunny. A **bunny**.''

Stink Bomb laughed. ''Heh-heh, yeah, you did! A bucktoothed bunny!''

''And you looked even worse than usual.''

''Hey, hey, guys, we were talking about The Cardmaster, not the doodles.'' Thankfully, Spy Rise butted in before an argument could break out. He turned to Hoot Loop.

The owl stuffed his beak into the book, ''Hmmm...let me see.'' His feathers then jerked up in surprise. ''Oh my!''

''What? What is it?!'' Alarmed, Spy Rise began to hastily question the Magic Skylander. ''What did you find?!''

Hoot Loop pulled the book away from his face, eyes wide. ''I just realized something! Something disturbing!''

''Realized what?!''

''Poochie wrote that The Cardmaster's kind of like a father figure.''

''And...?''

''Then, once they officially tie the knot, wouldn't that make Stink Bomb his son-in-law?!''

Fire Kraken gasped. ''There'd be evil in the Stink Bomb and Poochie family! That'd ruin everything.''

''Yes!'' Hoot Loop squawked. ''Ail would be a mother-in-law!''

''Two times the evil? But what about the children?!''

''M-m-marriage?!'' Flabbergasted, Stink Bomb started to stammer. ''W-wha...what the heck are you two yapping about?''

Hoot Loop rotated his head around to face Stink Bomb, smiling, although the skunk just flinched at the sudden, scary movement. ''It said in this very book that Poochie always wanted to have a pup named Petunia. So your little Skoodle will be named Petunia! Or if you're lucky enough to have a litter, then at least one of them will be named Petunia.''

''Skoodle?'' Stink Bomb asked.

''Skunk and Poodle hybrid.'' Fire Kraken answered. ''If you don't like Skoodles, we could call them Punks. Or even Pooks!''

Trap Shadow cleaned his paws, absentmindedly. ''Those are gonna be some strange-looking babies...''

''A Skoodle would be really, really fluffy.'' Boom Jet nodded. ''I want one!''

''Yeah, like a cuddly, stuffed animal.'' Doom Stone agreed, hugging his sword for demonstration.

''And maybe Petunia would be hypoallergenic.'' Spy Rise, surprisingly, piped up. He cast a judging look at Stink Bomb. ''Unlike her shedding father.''

''I don't shed; Trap Shadow sheds!'' Stink Bomb interjected.

''Petunia could have a little brother named...'' Grilla Drilla scratched at his face, pondering a bit. ''I've got it! The little tyke's name will be Pepé!''

''Ohhh, I simply love that! Brilliant name!'' Hoot Loop praised ecstatically. He levitated the Spellbook to clap his hands in delight. ''What do you think, Stink Bomb? Isn't that a great name?''

''We're not having _Skoodles. _We're not getting married. And we are most definitely not in love.'' Stink Bomb replied, steely.

Hoot Loop seemingly ignored his response. ''I'll take that as a yes!'' He gleefully cooed. ''To Pepé and Petunia! And all of our other Skoodle nieces and nephews!''

Stink Bomb buried his face into his pillow and mumbled, ''You...you people need help.''

Spy Rise cleared his throat. ''Alright, e-enough of this love fest. Hoot Loop, find something, anything that doesn't have to deal with-''

''Poochie has a crush on Wolfgang!'' Hoot Loop announced, as loud enough to wake the dead.

''**WHAT?!**'' However, Stink Bomb was even louder, springing up from his bed. His tail stuck up like a needle from pure shock. ''Th-that...that's disgusting!''

Spy Rise sighed and rubbed his head. ''Like talking to the wall...'' he muttered. Perhaps Wash Buckler was better at giving the commands...

''It's true!'' Hoot Loop waved a piece of paper about, for all to see. On the sheet, a messily drawn Wolfgang in crayon was flexing his bulky, bulging biceps and showing off his extremely exaggerated abs. It almost looked as if he had an one-hundred pack. A bunch of scribbly hearts were placed around the picture.

''Get rid of it!'' Stink Bomb demanded.

''And I thought you liked abstract.'' Trap Shadow smirked.

''That's not abstract, that's an atrocity!'' Stink Bomb dug his claws into his bed, violently. ''He's older than her! He's gotta be like in his forties! She's like...younger than that!''

''And I thought you didn't like Poochie.''

Stink Bomb hurriedly defended himself, nearly cutting the hunter off with his excuses. ''I-I'm just looking out for her. That's what Skylanders do, they protect people. _We_ protect people.'' With his eyes locked onto the drawing, Stink Bomb ground his teeth. ''Grrr...If that dirty, moonhowling, no taste in good music, mangy, fleabitten mongrel lays a single paw on her, or even touches a little bit of her fur, I swear...'' His tail frizzled up in anger.

''Easy, easy, easy there Stink Bomb.'' Spy Rise attempted to calm him. ''Wolfgang is locked away in someplace he'll never be able to escape. Everything's fine. If you have to release...your anger about this predicament, please do it outside.''

Thankfully, Stink Bomb drooped his tail down. ''Oh, right, he's in prison. Forever.'' After a long pause, he giggled victoriously.

Spy Rise winced at the paper, as the picture had now been turned to face its holder, its back turned on the Spyder. However, there were still a few more things on the sheet...''Hoot Loop, what is on the back of that paper?'' Spy Rise asked. ''I can see some writing...''

''Love letters, perhaps?'' Hoot Loop thought aloud expectantly before flipping the paper around. The owl frowned. ''How disappointing. It's only a bunch of evil spells and whatnot.''

''W-what do you mean it's _only_?! That could be important! It could be really, really important!''

''But it won't be that interesting...''

''_But_ it's informative and that's all that matters.''

Hoot Loop showed the paper to Spy Rise. He pointed big text that had been scrawled on the sheet with a running, messy marker. ''It says 'do not read' in bold, red letters. You're not supposed to read things that say 'do not read'...''

''And yet you stick your beak into excerpts of The Cardmaster's diary.''

Hoot Loop blinked. ''...Touché...however-''

''Nothing.'' Spy Rise rested a hand onto his puffed out chest, proudly. ''When I was out spying...''

A collection of various groans filled the room.

''Spare us, pleaaasse!''

''Have mercy on our souls!''

''Don't talk! Please, don't talk about those old days! We have Night Shift to do that already!''

''Spy Rise, please, do everyone a favor, and let me do the storytelling.'' Trap Shadow plugged his ears. ''Just...stop, okay?''

Spy Rise scoffed. ''Are you all done yet?''

''Anyone else want to beg? No?'' Boom Jet looked around. He nodded at Spy Rise, ''Yeah, I think we're done.''

''As I was saying...'' Spy Rise gave judging looks to his teammates. ''**When I was out spying**...'' he said through gritted teeth. The others made faces, but didn't bother to respond, only grimacing at the five words. Spy Rise continued, ''I read classified information all the time and nothing bad ever happened to me.''

''Big, red letters!'' Hoot Loop pointed rapidly at the text, making the paper wobble and shake. ''That say 'do not read', mind you! It has to be something bad!'' He then sighed. ''Although, my curiosity _has_ been piqued...'' Hoot Loop gnawed anxiously on a nail and whimpered. It wasn't long until he gave in. ''Alright, fine! I'll read it!'' He titled his head. ''Oh, look! This whole thing was written by Poochie! Again! How cute!''

The poodle had even stamped her paw on the paper, right next to a signature. A scribbly one, of course. The text read: _''This is a list of mysterious and really, really dangerous evil spells! My new friend, Cards, wanted me to write it, but they really belong to my Mommy. You should only be reading this if you're a real, true, evil wizard! And that's da Cardmaster! If you're not, then you're probably really, really naughty...I like that! You gots potential! But Cards doesn't really like anyone else readin' his stuff. I should know, I had to sit in the corner 'cause of it once. So stop reading naughty people! Or you won't get any presents from Santa! This is only for da Cards! Not you good people! Evil! Not good! If you're still reading and you're not da Cardmaster, then shame, shame, shame on you! You're doomed! And shall die a very, very bad death! Wuv, Poochie da most coolest bad guy...bad girl of all time.''_

After a quick blink, Hoot Loop looked up at Spy Rise. ''Well, we're doomed.''

Dismissively, Spy Rise waved a hand. ''No we're not. We're not doomed and we're not going to die a very, very bad death. The Cardmaster doesn't even know we're reading this! Now, what does the rest of it say?''

''Instructions on how to perform the spells and descriptions of said abilities. In other words, it's magic stuff.''

''Read those, too! Just the titles are fine; we'll do the descriptions later.''

Hoot Loop hesitantly obliged. ''Ablaze, Dark Pulse, Forcefield, Hypnosis, Illusion, Invisibility, Paralyze, Shadow Blast, Sleeping Spell, Smokescreen, Storm of the Century-''

''Ooooo!'' Free Ranger chirped. ''We should do that! We should do that! Let's do that! I really, really want to do that! How do we do that?!'' he exclaimed, smiling like a madman.

''No. Let's not.'' Spy Rise replied. ''We're in a Skyship. Causing the storm of the century wouldn't be the brightest of ideas. And besides, some of us don't like loud noises.'' He nodded towards Stink Bomb.

''I-It's not the noise of the storm that scares me...'' Stink Bomb grimaced. He put his pillow onto his head, shielding himself from potential danger. ''It's the...Arashi Dragons.'' Stink Bomb whispered.

''Stink Bomb, we talked about this.''

''They're out there. I know it. I know so.''

''Your Sensei lied-''

''I saw it! I saw them!'' Stink Bomb defended. ''They wanted to kill me...'' he added with a worrisome grimace.

Apparently, a long time ago, when the skunk was only a mere kit, Stink Bomb's Sensei locked him outside for the whole night, just as a violent storm was going on. It had been another attempt of trying to scare him into his innermost strength. Sensei had told him a tale about the benevolent Arashi Dragons, who brought rainy storms for the peaceful Mabu when droughts hit. And once he pushed his apprentice outside, Sensei just happened to tell him that they absolutely love skunks...for dinner. It wasn't until morning Sensei walked, ever so slowly, out to retrieve his student. His apprentice was in the middle of the grass with soaked fur, hugging his tail, clothes drenched. Maybe the event scarred him for life, as Stink Bomb still believed that the dragons weren't fiction...

Trap Shadow stifled a chuckle. ''Oh, yes, the Arashi Dragons.'' Slowly, he climbed down the ladder that connected the bunkbeds, stopping when he got to the skunk's level. ''They like to do a vicious death roll before chowing down on helpless skunks like you, immobilizing their victims through lethal shockwaves with their teeth. It doesn't take long for one to cease living. _Shocking_, isn't it? All it takes is just one, big...'' He slammed his claw onto the mattress below, immediately startling Stink Bomb. ''**BITE!**''

Stink Bomb squeaked with fear. Springing up, he looking like a frightened cat more than anything else.

Trap Shadow cackled hysterically, like a crazy supervillain. ''You squeaked! Like a little, wittle, itty-bitty kitten!''

Stink Bomb whacked the hunter with his pillow. ''Baka neko!'' he retorted.

He usually only use Japanese for insulting his teammates in a way they wouldn't be able to understand or to converse with Stealth Elf and Ninjini. 'Baka' was a word they'd heard the most often. Other times, it was just lots and lots of aggressive mutters and mumbles, with 'baka' usually thrown in here and there. In fact, Stink Bomb was multilingual, being an _artist_ and all.

Returning to his bed, Trap Shadow was pleased, showing his teeth in an amused grin. ''You're just so easy.''

''Now, now, Trap Shadow, please refrain from aggravating Stink Bomb.'' Spy Rise scolded. ''Angry skunks only lead to trouble.''

''Oh, please.'' Trap Shadow replied. ''Angry skunks only lead to fun, you mean. Right Stink Bomb?''

Grumpily, Stink Bomb turned around, rump in the air to show his distaste. ''Hmph!''

''I love you too, Flower.''

''Fuzakeru na!''

Magna Charge smiled, but with that robotic jaw of his, it didn't really look like much. Hearing them like this brought back so many memories.

The Glory Days.

In other words, the days way back when. It was about one-hundred years ago, but it felt as if it was only just yesterday. The days when they would bicker at each other, the days when they fought over the limelight, the days when they roasted marshmallows over a warm campfire, the days when they laugh and laugh, the days when they pushed each other around, the days when they would argue and snap at each other...and then somehow end back up at that same campfire under Mount Cloudbreak.

As he reminisced, Magna Charge quietly rumbled in amusement. _Such fun times,_ he thought.

Those were the days before...The Splitting.

However, it seemed as if that one incident had brought them more together than ever.

Well, technically it divided them up into two and all...But that wasn't the point!

They were a family. Perhaps not the best of all the families out there...well, definitely not the best of all the families out there, but that's what made them special. The SWAP Force had been banded together for one-hundred years.

One-hundred. **Freaking. **Years.

That was a long time.

Even though sometimes it didn't seem like it, they were the best of friends. And nothing was ever going to get in between their friendship. Ever.

Magna Charge shifted his attention to Freeze Blade. The Frost Feline must've gotten bored of staring and finally lulled into a deep sleep. He was practically knocked out, sleeping peacefully like a kitten. Magna Charge sighed in relief. Surely, all would be calm now.

All the bickering, all the talk...Everything had stopped now. There had only been silence. It was absolutely perfect. Magna Charge held his breath.

It was time.

The Ultron exhaled. ''Guys...'' Magna Charge slowly started.

In an instant, the spotlight had been on him, making the Ultron tense up at the sudden stares.

''What is it, Magna Charge?'' Spy Rise asked.

''Uhm...'' Perhaps this _wasn't_ the perfect time. Magna Charge fiddled nervously with his fingers. ''Um...'' Magna Charge drawled. This definitely wasn't the right time to break the news about the Snappers. Unlike angry skunks, debbiedowner Ultrons led to no fun. But now he needed an excuse...His eye darted to glance at Freeze Blade. Yes, that was it! Magna Charge turned his attention back to his fellow roomies. ''Shouldn't we be getting some sleep? You know, we are supposed to be on a trek.''

After a few, long seconds of even more silence, they all agreed unanimously, nodding. However, Magna Charge couldn't help but notice that Spy Rise was narrowing his eyes at him.

Lie Detector.

Magna Charge kept his cool though, giving another strange smile to the spy.

''Yes, we probably should.'' Spy Rise slowly said, his eyes still locked onto Magna Charge, almost as if he was hunting him down.

Dangit! What was he thinking?! He had just missed the perfect opportunity to tell them! Aggravated by his own decision, Magna Charge punched himself in the head.

''You alright, Mag? Circuit malfunction?'' Grilla Drilla noticed his random self-infliction, much to the Ultron's surprise. 'Cause normal people don't just...spontaneously punch themselves.''

Magna Charge nodded as quickly as he could. ''Yes! I am very much okay! J-just a screw...that's loose. Screwloose!''

''I can fix that!'' Spy Rise piped up with a grin.

''No! I mean, oh, no, I-I'm fine. Thank you for your gracious offer.'' Magna Charge hurriedly declined. As well as being an undercover agent, Spy Rise was an incredible hacker. He was actually able to hack into Magna Charge's brain! Gossipers nearly spread around the Ultron's deepest darkest secrets on one occasion. Having someone messing around with your mind wasn't a very fun experience, either. Magna Charge's brain was practically bustling with knowledge about Snappers now; the Spyder was bound to find something if he decided to play his dirty, mind games!

As soon as Spy Rise looked away from him, Magna Charge zipped off to his bed, which had been underneath the spy's bunk. Usually, he'd sleep standing up, as Ultrons didn't actually _sleep_. It was more of a powering down process, with all running circuits and engines shutting off completely. However, Magna Charge really, really felt like concealing himself with a blanket; Spy Rise would most likely continue to stare at him until he revealed the truth.

_Pitter patter._

Settling in, Magna Charge sighed at the calming, sound of rain.

However, the soothing melody was soon interrupted, as the door was flung open by a frightened Blast Zone. ''**WATER!**'' The furnace knight rocketed forth. ''It's all over me! Get it away! Get it awaaaay!'' he cried.

The Swappers were completely unfazed; this was usual. For obvious reasons, Blast Zone was an aquaphobic. Well, really, all furnace knights were. Water was a real no-no. Being composed of fire, their fear was perfectly rational. Nevertheless, it was kind of extreme. Even the littlest of splashes would send Blast Zone off in a flash.

''You could've at least closed the door before your mental breakdown.'' Spy Rise said. ''Now there's a bad draft.''

Blast Zone hid himself in a shady corner of the room, huddling. ''Water...'' he shuddered. ''A-a-am I melting?''

Fire Kraken leapt off his bed, completely ignoring the ladder, and walked over to Blast Zone. He wrapped an arm around the furnace knight, as he was the only one to withstand the heat without being burned. ''Awww, Blast Zone, you're not melting, buddy.''

''Yeah, it's just a little rain. You're fine. There's nothing to be afraid of.'' Stink Bomb added.

As if on cue, a flash of lightning struck across the sky.

And of course, where there was lightning, there was thunder.

A loud roar promptly sounded from outside, almost like that of a beast.

''Eeep!'' Stink Bomb squeaked. Again. It _was _actually kind of amusing, and Magna Charge had to stifle a laugh by placing a hand to his mouth. The skunk cowered underneath the blanket. ''I don't like it, I don't like it, I don't like it!''

Free Ranger, however, was executing the exact opposite. ''I like it, I like it, I like it!'' he cheered, as enthusiastic as ever.

Stink Bomb whined. ''You're crazy.'' Now, Stink Bomb wasn't astraphobic; he didn't sport any type of phobia, really. He was just...skittish. It had been that way since the beginning. Magna Charge remembered the first time Stink Bomb and Spy Rise met. Stink Bomb believed that he was some sort of spiderlegged yokai from the Underworld and usually hid himself until he actually warmed up to the Spyder. Stink Bomb was scared of just about everything. He even had an irrational fear of insects until Grilla Drilla came around to show him that they weren't scary...and that they were highly delicious.

Spy Rise rubbed his temples. ''Trap Shadow...''

''I know, I know, I'm on it.'' The hunter mumbled, scratching aimlessly at an ear. Trap Shadow climbed down the ladder again. ''Hey, Stinks.'' the sabretooth poked at the shivering lump underneath the blanket.

Like some sort of cautious groundhog, Stink Bomb reluctantly peeked his head out. With his own blanket, Blanky, in his quaking paws, he whispered. ''Are they here?''

Trap Shadow sighed. ''No, because they're not real. Not. Real. There are no evil dragons waiting to brutally rip into your fragile flesh, roast you from the inside out with their paralyzing teeth, rip you apart bloody morsel by morsel, and sling your insides about. It's all in your mind.'' He showed his teeth in a forced smile. ''Feel better?''

Stink Bomb stared at the hunter for a moment. After a blink, the skunk grimaced and covered his eyes with clawed hands. ''...that didn't help at all.'' he whimpered.

Climbing back up to his bed, Trap Shadow looked at Spy Rise, and shrugged. ''Well...I tried.''

''And you expected that to make him _feel better_?'' Spy Rise asked, incredulously, making quotation marks with his fingers.

Trap Shadow threw his arms up. ''I tried! When I was a kit, my tribemates did that; it still usually works with me...'' Eyes widening in shock, he promptly gathered up something to say for his slipup. ''N-n-not that I'm afraid of something or anything like that!''

Suddenly, the door shut with an extremely loud slam.

''Was that the wind?'' Boom Jet asked.

''Well, that definitely wasn't ordinary!'' Stink Bomb exclaimed. ''That. Wasn't. Normal...'' he placed his paws onto his head with a shudder.

''Obviously.'' Free Ranger said with a snort. ''The Rapid Winds are still out; they're wild, you know, go in every, which way. It's fun!''

''R-R-Rapid Winds?!'' Stink Bomb stammered in disbelief. He chortled heartily, a series of mocking snorts. ''No! That was _obviously_ the dragons outside waiting to devour me!''

''I really don't understand why you're so terrified of these _dragons_. I mean, who really wants to eat a smelly skunk?''

''The Arashi Dragons!'' Stink Bomb then cast a suspicious glance at Hoot Loop. ''And some owls...'' he added.

''_Who_, me?'' Hoot Loop cocked his head in that freakish, owl way. ''I'd never!''

''Earth owls. **Earth** owls, Stink Bomb. Not the element, the planet. That's where skunks are little, stubby, striped, black-and-white, sometimes spotted and hog-nosed, creatures, with actual ears and noses, that waddle about the forest floor.'' Spy Rise corrected. ''You're just paranoid.''

The door, with an eerie squeak, opened, only slightly, letting some moonlight into the room. Lightning flashed once more, the violent rumbles of thunder trailing after it, like a hare and a fox.

''But why is it doing that?'' Spy Rise asked himself, creasing his eyes as he pondered. Doors just didn't open and close without some sort of force causing it. Who was doing that? _What_ was doing that?

''The Dragons.'' Stink Bomb muttered.

''Ah! I've got it!'' Hoot Loop snapped his fingers. ''Remember when we were reading the Spellbook's 'do not read' letter?'' he asked.

''Yes...'' Spy Rise nodded.

''Poochie said that we were doomed! Like, we have bad luck! This must be what doom feels like!'' Hoot Loop said, a little too happily. ''I told you we shouldn't have read that letter, Spy Rise.''

''Or maybe it's Rosemary.'' Night Shift hazarded a guess. Rosemary? They'd just read about her tragic tales in the loose letters of the Spellbook. Magna Charge looked down and sighed. Rosemary had been the mother of The Cardmaster. Diagnosed with an unknown illness, she was forced to be in bed throughout most of her son's childhood. And...unfortunately burnt to death in that same bed.

The idea of her wanting sweet vengeance was...plausible. Anyone would be out for revenge, even a gentle flower like Rosemary. That's just how ghosts worked...Right? They had unfinished business, so they couldn't go the heavens _or _take a trip down into The Underworld.

''You mean like...ghost Seadogs?'' Fire Kraken stuttered, holding his sparkler staff close to his chest, cautiously. ''S-she can't be too mad at us, right?''

''Well, she did have her own house tobble ontop of her and was burnt extra crispy. I know I'd be pretty pissed after that.''

''That's just because you're Night Shift. Sure, I'd be angry, but I wouldn't try to murder my murderers.'' Boom Jet replied.

''Hold on, we weren't even there. I never remember burning an entire village to the ground and killing nearly all its inhabitants. The original thirty-two were there, they're the ones who destroyed that village.'' Rubble Rouser commented. ''Shouldn't she be after them?'' he questioned.

Nodding to himself, Rattle Shake dusted off his hat with the skillful flicks of his hand. ''Ghosts do whatever they wish.'' he explained. ''It does not matter who you may be. Some just get a kick out of haunting people.'' With a slight shrug, he smiled. ''Sort of like Camo back at home.'' The snakeslinger placed his hat back onto his scaly head and furrowed his brows. His pupils shrunk down, his eyes a stern, blue gaze. ''However, there are some who take simple pranks too far...'' Quickly, he flicked his tongue in and out with a quiet hiss. ''And they don't like Batterson's pies...''

Except for Night Shift, who nodded, The Skylanders went aghast at that statement.

''I don't believe that...'' Fire Kraken shook his head. ''Who doesn't like pie?!''

''But...'' The snake chuckled softly and flopped back down onto his bed. ''...I do not think that Rosemary is evil. And I cannot sense any ghosts near.''

''Do you...sense any dragons, Rattle Shake?'' Stink Bomb asked, anxious.

Rattle Shake snickered once more. ''I'm not quite sure what an Arashi Dragon is, my friend. I've never tracked one before. I've never even heard of one before. But, I can confirm that I sense no dragons.''

Free Ranger smiled, smugly. ''See? He says he can't sense it!''

''They could be invisible! Duh!'' Stink Bomb countered. Abruptly, he gasped in realization. ''I should be invisible! They won't know I'm here!'' Lifting his tail, he distorted his face into a slight strain.

''Aah!'' Everyone yelped at the statement, taking cover underneath the blankets.

Spy Rise scolded, waving a finger. ''No, no, bad, very bad, Stink Bomb. Not indoors!'' It was as if he was an owner talking to his dog, telling it to get off the couch.

''But the door's open!''

''Like that makes things better...''

''That makes things totally better! You've got fresh air outside.''

''Not for long! You naughty air-defiler!''

''Well, I'm not going to go outside! Where the things that are trying to kill me are!''

As they continued to bicker, Free Ranger put a claw onto his head and sighed. ''Oh, for heaven's sake!'' With a huff, he leapt off his bed and stomped off to the door. ''I'll show you that there's no one, nothing, and definitely no mystical, storm dragons outside. I'll show you!''

''But they'll kill you, Free Ranger!'' In a tiny whisper, Stink Bomb added. ''And you're a chicken...AKA delicious.''

''Hah! _You're_ the only chicken here.'' Free Ranger cast one last look at the skunk before turning his head to the door. Although, even though the Storm Chicken was acting as if he was high and mighty, it was clear that he was pretty cautious himself. The lightning crest on the back of his head drooped in dismay. ''Uh...''

''Something wrong, Roosty?'' Trap Shadow asked, scraping at some meat lodged in his teeth with a sharp nail. ''Scared?''

Free Ranger shook his head. ''N-not in the slightest!'' His eyes darted from hither to thither. ''Well...'' He pushed two fingers together, as if he was squashing something. ''A tad bit...''

Trap Shadow snorted. Under his breath, he mocked, ''Bawk, bawk...''

Free Ranger's crest sparkled and his feathers bristled in rage. Fear layered by anger, the Storm Chicken promptly opened up the door.

And out collapsed a little fox.

* * *

He had come a long way. A very long way.

Chester didn't necessarily want to hop aboard the Mongrel, as the biggest bunch of nuisances just happened to be there as well, but it was the closest shelter he could possibly get to. Sure, it was risky. Getting past three outside seemed difficult at first, with the big, bulky fiery guy being his main concern. Thankfully, weather had been on the fox's side, and the furnace knight ran away.

_You ruined everything. Again. Why am I not surprised? We were doing good, but noooo, you sent us right back into danger. Right to the Skylanders! _

_These Skylanders are supposed to be protectors, Crook. Even of evil. They'll help us, I'm sure._

_Don't say I didn't warn you! It won't be my fault when you die._

_Trust me, they'll help._

Sprawled out on the floor, Chester lay, panting. His fur was matted with muck, half washed away by the rain. Blinking some flecks of dirt from his eyes, he whuffed. Raising his head a little, Chester stared groggily at the Skylanders in front of him. ''Hullo...'' the fox lifted a paw in a halfhearted wave.

And everyone drew out their weapons, bombs, blades, lasers, traps...

''Wait, wait!'' Chester rose his paws, eyes wide. ''Stop!''

Reluctantly, the Swappers lowered their weapons.

''Please...stop...'' Chester, with a whine, let his head and hands fall back onto the floor. His ears drooped with a relieved sigh. ''Thank you.'' he closed his eyes. The Swappers huddled up in their 'secret circle', away from the fox. He could hear their confused whispers as he twitched his ears.

''What is _he_ doing here?'' Trap Shadow asked in a low growl. ''I thought we got rid of this...morsel.'' he hissed beneath his breath.

_They don't want you here. Better run while they're distracted, whelp._

_No, they'll heal us. They'll help us._

_Whatever._

''Do you think he came for help, Spy Rise?'' Rattle Shake murmured.

That was exactly it. He needed help. Immediate help! Chester exclaimed, tail beating across the floor. ''YES!''

Alarmed, The Skylanders turned around at the sound. They looked as if they didn't understand, like they were processing something at the speed of molasses, blinking. Did he say something bad? All he did was answer a question...What was wrong? Did he offend them? Oh, he hoped he didn't! There was no way he was going to be straggling out alone! He needed shelter! He needed food! He needed Skylanders!

Chester forced a friendly smile. ''Now, I know what you're thinking-''

''What _are_ you doing here, Chester?'' Spy Rise asked.

''I'm not here to cause any troub-''

''You're here to spy on us, aren't you?''

''N-no! I'm just-''

''Just trying to eavesdrop on what we're doing?''

''I-''

''You're still in cahoots with The Cardmaster?''

_That's it! I'm stepping in! I've had enough of these idiots!_

Chester tried stop his second personality, but it was too late; Crook had already taken over. ''Would you stop interrupting me already? I'm not spying, I'm not eavesdropping, and I'm not working for The Cardmaster anymore! Understood? Understood?!'' Crook massaged his head with a paw, groaning irritably. ''Geez, you talk even more than that stupid town crier guy at Woodburrow...''

The Skylanders looked taken aback, backing up in surprise.

"Now look at what you did! You scared them!'' Chester yipped. The fox tossed his head to a side, as if pretending to be a different character, growling.

''And that's a bad thing?'' Crook snorted. ''They should be afraid. Very, very afraid...''

As Chester bickered with his other side, The SWAP Force exchanged glances with each other.

''Why...why is he talking to himself?'' Grilla Drilla asked.

''For once...I don't know.'' Spy Rise replied.

''This is a little...freaky.'' Rubble Rouser pushed up against the wall. ''And uncomfortable.''

''We should put it out of its misery.'' Night Shift suggested with a smile, pounding his fists together.

''I like that plan.'' Trap Shadow rumbled a laugh, rubbing his paws together.

''I don't.'' Stink Bomb interjected. ''If he has to die, his demise needs to be quick and painless. Pummeling and clawing the poor guy is the exact opposite...''

''Sí,'' Rattle Shake agreed, ''even if he is acting a little loco, we shouldn't kill Chester. He is barely a threat, like a mouse.''

Rubbing his chin, Spy Rise thought about it for a long moment before looking back at the fox, who was still fighting with Crook.

''Oh, great, you just got everyone's attention! Now they think that we're crazy, Chester!''

''I got their attention?!''

''H-hey, Chester.'' Spy Rise called. ''Chester? That is your name, right?''

Chester looked up at the Skylander, only to jump up in fear. He had forgotten about how big they were. Back arched like a cat, Chester staggered back, shivering. ''Don't hurt me!'' he yipped. ''Please! I-I'm not here to do anything bad! I promise! I'm not a bad guy anymore! Just...'' Chester put his paws onto his head with a lengthy whine. ''Don't hurt me!'' These Skylanders were all so...scary. He was badly outnumbered; if something was to go wrong he wouldn't even be able to get one good punch in before being killed. But really, what was a punch from a furry paw going to do to a Skylander? ''Just don't hurt me! Don't do it, Skylander! Please!''

Trap Shadow chuckled. With a grin, the hunter elbowed Stink Bomb in his side. ''He sounds kind of like you, Stinks. You know, when we're about to throw you into the ba-''

Stink Bomb grabbed his tail and aimed it towards his teammate, threateningly, as if it was sound of gun. ''The what, Trap Shadow?''

Trap Shadow, pulling up his bandana just in case, stepped to the side. ''My...apologies.''

Stink Bomb, satisfied, let his tail droop. He dusted off his paws with a smug smile and patted the sabretooth's shoulder. ''Ah, you learn fast, young grasshopper.''

Trap Shadow crossed his arms. ''Hmph.''

''I still think we should _dispose_ of this pest.'' Night Shift showed his tainted fangs in a smirk. ''You know, I haven't tried fox blood in a while. Being a good guy surrounded by Woodburrow's foxes and all...But I remember the flavor being exceptionally rich. It should be a nice experience.''

Blood?! **Fox** blood?! He was a fox! To be honest, Chester was really, really starting to regret his decision. Crook was right; he was very a foolish fox. But he really only had two choices: run away as fast as his aching legs could carry him or suck it up and communicate with the monsters. And as much as he hated it, communicating with the monsters was his only choice. ''Skylanders...'' After a gulp, the fox finally build up enough courage. ''I need your help.''

The Skylanders looked even more confused than they were before, shocked even. These were the Skylanders he had met at Windham, right? Had they not heard anyone ask for help before?

''What?'' they asked in unison.

''I need...'' Chester lifted himself up off the ground. He started to walk to them, but only stumbled, right on his face. With an aggravated sigh, he weakly rose a paw to point at the Skylanders. ''...your help.'' he mumbled.

''Wha?'' Fire Kraken cleaned his earhole with a nail. ''Did he just say that he needed **our **help?''

''Yes, I believe so.'' Blast Zone nodded.

''That's crazy talk!''

Magna Charge blinked. ''You're a villain...you know that right, Chester? And that we're Skylanders? Your enemies?''

Chester heaved a sigh. ''I'm not a villain. Not anymore. I realized that working for The Cardmaster was not for me. I just couldn't take it anymore. He was probably going to kill me anyway...I left the Esper today, got on my little ship, crashed it in the Rapid Winds, and straggled into the forests, looking for shelter. And that's when I found this ship. I could hear you all from miles away, so I knew you were here. With my expert stealth skills, I snuck onboard. I stopped at that door, though. I was too busy arguing with Crook, that's my friend, he's inside my mind and invisible so don't bother looking, to actually fully open it.'' With big, sad eyes, he looked up at the Skylanders. ''I only ask to stay for a while.''

''And you're not lying to us?'' Grilla Drilla got face-to-face with the fox. ''You know, like a bad guy...''

Chester shook his head as fast as he could. ''I'm being truthful, Skylander. Cross my heart!''

Grilla Drilla, abruptly, snuffed at his fur, much to the fox's discomfort. He moved his fingers throughout Chester's pelt, messed around with his ears, and plucked off a few of his hairs. What was this ape so interested in? He was just making 'ooo' noises, like a confused baboon. The Skylander sat back on his haunches, finally done with his little experiment. ''He's being truthful alright...''

''This little rat? Truthful?'' Trap Shadow growled, skeptically. ''What do you think, Spy Rise?''

Spy Rise flipped his goggles onto his face. ''Hmmm...'' He stared long and hard at the fox, rubbing his chin. After an extremely long span of silence, the Tech Skylander sneezed. Rubbing his nonexistent nose, he grimaced. ''As long as he and his fur sleeps on the floor, I am fine with Chester being here.''

Chester smiled at all of the Skylanders. Closing his eyes, whined his approval. ''Oh, thank you! Thank you so much! I promise that you won't even know I'm here! Thank you! Thank you! Th-''

The sound of snores cut him off, as the Skylanders had went to bed, leaving the fox to thank nothing but the air.

_You quite finished being a suck-up?_

_Yep._

And with that, Chester curled up in a happy ball...only to find out that he couldn't go to sleep, as he had forgotten that he was trapped in a room full of loudly snoring men.

''And I thought the pirates sounded bad...'' Chester cringed, covering his ears.

It was going to be a really, really long night.

* * *

_Whaaaaa? LiteFox, that's all you made?! It's been months! Months!_

_Naah, I have three, more chapters to post, readers. They just need some little adjustments. Don't worry! I know this chapter wasn't anything too special! Hold your horses! I'll supply you soon! Today...er tomorrow, next Friday, something like that. The next one is almost done, so...yeah. Next chapter_: **Family Matters**


	15. Family Matters

Jabb had been grinning ear to ear, tail moving like a wild flag in the wind out of pure delight. He couldn't believe his ears; The Cardmaster was actually praising him for something! Him of all people onboard the Esper! Jabb decided to take time to relish in the moment. What? Why was the big bad boss so impressed? Well, Jabb had actually persuaded, with the help of his_ magnificent_ charisma and silver tongue, the gargoyles to stop their attacks and form an alliance with The Cardmaster. Now, the Esper Seadogs and the gargoyles were all sitting at one, single table, almost as if they were family.

And it was all as easy as pie.

He clapped his paws together, joyously.

All the while, Patches was giving him rather sour faces. With folded arms and narrowed eyes, he'd been shooting daggers had him for a while. What was so good about that spotted dweeb anyway? Patches was the First Mate! Not that polka-dotted fool! The Cardmaster should've been congratulating his deputy! Sure, he hadn't actually done...well...anything successful since the Windham Raid, but that wasn't the point! Patches was Number One! He would always be Number One! No stupid feline was going to take a Seadog's rightful job!

Jabb stuck his tongue out at him. Such a cub. Patches only replied by licking his fangs in a bloodthirsty manner.

The cheetah turned back to The Cardmaster with a laugh. ''Hm? What was that, cap? I couldn't hear ya.''

''I'm impressed.''

''Impressed? Just how impressed are you?''

''Very impressed.'' The Cardmaster replied.

Patches flicked his ears in interest. He'd never heard such flattery from The Cardmaster and, frankly, no one else had either. It was usually just 'good job' or 'great' said in a monotome growl and a fake smile. And that just made things even worse for the first mate; he'd never gotten anything like 'I'm impressed' unless the captain was sozzled.

''C-could you say that just...ten, more times?'' Jabb asked.

The Cardmaster scowled at him. He walked off with one, final message, ''Don't push your luck, **cat**.''

''Just-just five more times, sah?'' Jabb pleaded, but The Cardmaster simply ignoring him on his way to his _throne_, which was really just a big, fancy chair. The cheetah, with a skip in his step, decided to visit Patches, who immediately turned away at his arrival.

''Hey, Patchy!'' Jabb greeted.

''Go away.'' Patches replied bitterly.

Although, Jabb just didn't seem to listen and continued to have his fun. ''Are you mad at me?'' he asked with a bright grin.

Patches bared his teeth. ''_Mad_ is an understatement.'' He prodded Jabb in his muzzle. ''I. Am. **Furious.**''

Jabb wiggled his poked nose. ''But we're still friends, right?''

''I hate you.''

''Short and simple, I like that.'' Jabb replied, nonchalantly, as if he hadn't even heard of an insult before. Patches only snorted, sticking his nose up in the air like a prissy diva. Jabb snickered and elbowed the Seadog in his side, playfully. ''Oh, c'mon, Patchy, I'm not here to take your place. You know that, I know that, we all know that, mate. I'm not replacing ya!''

Patches did eventually smile, but it wasn't from Jabb's little talk.

The she-beards had just arrived, the youngest and the oldest of the Trio to be exact. Candy and Cookie had been in the midst of balancing a large, white cake, practically a stream of gargoyles trailing after them. Before Patches could say anything, Jabb was already in for the kill. Idiotically, he wolf-whistled and cat-called. ''Hey, hey, hey! You look absolutely stunning in those aprons! They're _sexyyy! _Oh, wow, is that vanilla?!'' He had tried to get a little taste of icing, only to have his paw smacked away by an aggressive Cookie. Candy, like usually, started to giggle, much to Cookie's dismay. Her older sister gave her a look that instantly silenced her mirth.

Patches pulled the cheetah back by his ear. ''What do you think you're doing?''

''I'm attractin' the females.'' Jabb replied. ''What does it look like?''

Patches growled at him before looking at the two Seapoodles again. Why couldn't he get Candy to giggle? She practically laughed at anything, no matter how crude! If Jabb was able to get her to smile, why couldn't he? Although knowing he would probably regret it, Patches, reluctantly, asked the hunter cat. ''How-how did you do that? How did you make her laugh?''

''It's a secret...'' Jabb whispered. ''Maybe, just maybe, you'll be as good as me one day...Naaah. Well, I'm off to spread my _impressive_ goodness to everyone. Have a nice day, Patchy!'' He strutted off, letting his tail flick Patches in the nose.

Patches crinkled his snout up. He snarled to himself, muttering an insane amount of profanity as the cheetah skipped away to his seat. However, he realized that he would have to stop, because Poochie was here. A wide smile grew upon his face. But, sadly, his happiness would be broken, because Grimmler was right by her side.

Patches immediately pulled another sour face. Was everybody just trying to piss him off?! A lot of the gargoyles happened to be just as attracted to the Seapoodles as he was. Patches had already seen the miscreants try to mate with their legs, like some sort of mangy tramp. The Seadog grimaced. He would never to such a thing to them. Sure, he did go looking through their laundry for..._special_ things from time to time, but he wasn't that bad!

Thankfully, the King of the Gargoyles didn't think much of the Seapoodles; they were just a simple 'female slaves' or 'decent waterdogs' to him.

''Awww, you're not very menacing.'' Poochie said, scratching behind Grimmler's big horns.

The gargoyle closed his eyes with a throaty purr. Graciously, he rolled over onto his back, displaying his fat, light gray tummy.

''Boooop.'' Poochie was having way too much fun with poking at his belly. ''Soooo tubby!'' she giggled, smiling like a child at the way it jiggled.

''Tubby is not fit for a king, decent waterdog. Grimmler only plump, and round, is all. But, will forgive you. Please, continue, decent waterdog. You may rub my wings next.'' Grimmler said.

''I can play the drums on it!''

The gargoyles were seemingly getting along with everyone else. But they were still reckless, destructive creatures, which would be a problem. A few had already started to fight with Lucky over his own dog bowl. Now, the Chillydog was shaking underneath the table, whimpering as they helped their selves to his fill. The Flock butted heads over the simplest of things, such as an argument about who had the best chair just a few minutes ago. Jabb never truly explained why they decided to join the likes of The Cardmaster and company, but Patches was betting that it had something to do with a dirty lie.

Patches huffed in despair and looked down at his feet. Courting the Seapoodles was impossible, it seemed. Patches had never ever got to be that close to be invited to a special, tea party or that secretive 'initiation' thing. And he never got any tickles. Or any punches in the arm. Or tail rubs...Then again, he didn't really have a tail...

The Seadog let his ears droop. Was it just that they didn't like him? Was something wrong with him? He didn't see himself as off-putting in the slightest. Jabb was the off-putting one. He was an irritating, cocky cat with an annoying, indescribable accent. No, Stink Bomb was most definitely off-putting with his green fur and ugly face. Who'd want to be next to someone who was a walking and talking hazard to the nose?_ Apparently Poochie_, Patches thought.

Did he have to paint himself green and take a dive into decomposing, oozing garbage to get some attention? Did he have to study the so-called, made-up, fighting technics of Kung Fume?

Did...did he have to become a ninja?

No. No, definitely not. He would not become a stupid ninja! Besides, everyone knew that pirates were better than ninjas! However, it seemed as if Poochie just didn't understand that. Patches sighed. Head hanging low, he trudged over to one of the empty seats the closest to The Cardmaster, and sat down with a grimace.

''Patches.'' The Cardmaster rumbled.

Eyes wide, Patches turned his attention to his leader. His ears perked up. ''Yes, captain? Anything for me to do for ya? I'm always ready to serve you, captain!''

The Cardmaster nodded slowly. ''Why yes, there is something I want you to do for me.''

Patches smiled. Yes! Another chance to prove just how good of a deputy he was! Another chance to prove just how great he was! His fur prickled with excitement. He didn't care what the order was! He was ready to swap the poop deck, be the punching bag for the day, or even camp out in the cellar and starve! He was ready for anything his captain would throw at him, and he'd always follow through with an order no matter what! ''And what is that?''

''Get up. That will be Grimmler's chair.''

''Oh...'' Patches' ears lowered. Stifling whimpers, the saddened Seadog got up and sulked away, once more letting his hands and head hang.

''Psssst!'' Jabb whispered, rather loudly. ''Patches!'' He patted the empty seat next to him, gleefully. ''Patchy, over here!''

Patches wrinkled his snout and mouthed out 'no'.

''Oh, c'moooonnn, there's no place else for you to sit, buddy!''

Unfortunately, Jabb was telling the truth. The only other chairs were for Grimmler and Poochie. Why not Poochie's chair? Well, it was in between Cookie and Candy, and the two most definitely wouldn't want him in their sister's spot. Patches didn't want to butt in on their sisterly 'togetherness'; that'd just be plain rude. He saw himself as a real, nice ladiesman, although on the inside he was only a pushover pirate.

With an aggravated sigh, Patches trudged over to the empty chair. _I'm sure I'll end up regretting this_, he thought. After giving a thorough check to the chair, just to make sure Jabb didn't do anything to it, he sat down with crossed his arms.

''You're welcome!'' Jabb said, cheerily. Patches turned his head away from the cheetah with a grumble, only to become face-to-face with a gargoyle. The gargoyle cocked its head at him. It flashed its fangs, growling as if it was rabid. Patches, startled, immediately turned away.

''Don't mind them,'' Jabb smiled at the frightened Seadog, ''they're just very moody beasties.''

''Obviously...'' Patches decided to look across the table, noticing that Poochie was finally seated with her sisters.

Candy seemed to be shivering, excitedly. ''Cake...'' she whispered.

''Yes, we know, **cake**. You've been saying that.'' Cookie put a paw on her shoulder. ''A lot.''

''But I want it! I want it so bad...so, so, so, so bad!'' Candy yipped.

''Be patient.'' Cookie sternly replied.

''But then I'll_ starrrve_!'' Candy pulled down on her eyes. ''And that'd be absolutely dreadful!''

Cookie groaned in annoyance. ''You'll be fine. You're already skinny enough.''

Candy rested her head onto the table and whined, looking like a sad bloodhound. ''But I wan't it...'' she sniffled.

Poochie hushed her, ''You'll be able to get it. Shhh, It's alright.'' Cuddling her little sister, she rocked back and forth. ''Shhhh...''

''I want it so much!'' Candy cried.

''We know, we know...''

Finally, after a few seconds of intense struggling, Grimmler hefted himself onto his chair. It looked as if he was going to break at any second, moaning at the king's extreme weight. The gargoyle looked towards The Cardmaster. ''Hm.'' the gargoyle only furrowed his brows at the Seadog. ''What waterdog want again?''

''Why, we're here to celebrate our alliance, Grimmler.'' The Cardmaster explained. ''To have my crew to bond with your royal subjects, to eat sweet confections together, and to talk about our glorious future.''

''Glorious?'' Grimmler cocked his head. He smiled crookedly, as if he was secretly scheming something in that tiny brain of his. ''Sounding promising, Cardsa.''

''I thought you'd say that.'' The Cardmaster grinned back.

Oh no.

Were_ they_ bonding, too?! Patches stared at them in disbelief, gawking. His fur bristled in rage, but he retained himself from viciously snarling.

''You 'kay there, mate?'' Jabb asked. ''Lookin' a lil' upset.''

''I'm fine.'' Patches gritted his teeth.

''Whatevah ya say, friend.''

The Cardmaster abruptly called in a growl. ''Hogface.''

The strange Seadog swiveled his head about until he located The Cardmaster's face. He grinned stupidly. ''Yes, cap'n?''

''The cake. Get it.''

Candy immediately brought her head up at the special word. Happily, her tongue lolled out of her mouth with several excited pants.

''See? He's going to cut the cake, Candy.'' Poochie said with a smile. She attempted to push Candy's tongue back into her sister's mouth, only to have it roll out again.

Patches continued to stare at The Cardmaster. How could he?! How could The Cardmaster pick that clumsy nitwit over him, the valiant and cunning First Mate! It didn't make any sense! Whatsoever! Heck, even Redfur would've been a better choice! And he was missing a freaking eye!

However, Hogface _did_ do quite a good job at passing out cake slices, plates, and cutlery. But that didn't mean anything, really. It wasn't like Hogface could swordfight or outsmart an enemy. That'd certainly be the day when pigs flew.

''The cake!'' Candy wildly shook Poochie, her tail drumming against the seat, up and down. ''_My_ cake!''

''Candy, remember, we have to wait for The Cardmaster's permission.'' Cookie reminded her peckish, younger sister.

''But it's right there!'' Candy pointed at her platter. ''Right there! In front of my face! Mocking me...''

Yes, the crew had to wait for permission. Why? Just because of some hoopla about 'dominance of the pack'. The Cardmaster apparently saw himself as an alpha wolf with the others being the mangy packmembers that followed him every step of the way. For some reason, he thought that being the first to eat a piece of food would enforce his leadership. It was just to say that 'I'm better than you' to all of his crewmates instead of saying it to all of them one by one. According to him, that would just be too tedious.

The Cardmaster stuck a fork into the slice of cake and scooped up only a sliver of the treat. The Cardmaster observed the tiny lump for what seem to be an eternity, ''Hmm...'' It was obvious that he was enjoying teasing Candy, whose eyes had been locked onto him, waiting with held breath. She tugged anxiously on the ragged table cover. The Cardmaster smirked smugly at the Seapoodle. Slowly, he placed the fork into his mouth. Taking his time, the captain pulled the fork out, and started to savor the cake's taste. ''Mmm.'' The Cardmaster looked directly into the huge, pleading eyes of Candy. Eventually, he swallowed. The Cardmaster licked the frosting from the fork...over and over again. And, of course, finished his first bite at the speed of a snail with the heaviest shell of all time. After fully cleaning the icing from the fork, he placed it down. ''Dine.''

The crew needed no second bidding.

This feast was somewhat surprising. Usually, spontaneous food fights would erupt or some sort of silly argument would spawn a bunch of roughhousing. But everyone seemed to be acting like civilized beings instead of primitive cavepeople for once, a few were even using their cutlery instead of using their dirty paws. Well, mostly everyone...

Candy had planted her entire face into her dessert. Her habits were kind of confusing. Was she a refined, prissy lady obsessed with her own reflection or some sort of garbage disposal for all things sweet? Often times, Candy would get rather cranky without getting a little bit of sweets in a day. Her sisters kept small stashes of treats around the Esper, just for emergencies. But, unfortunately, those too would eventually be sniffed out and gobbled up. It was simply mindboggling how she continued to keep her lean, slender figure.

She was already licking her plate, which wasn't very surprisingly at all. However, it was still very, very odd. She didn't like getting her paws dirty, but having a lot of crumbs, sprinkles, and frosting on them was just fine? Candy looked at Cookie, who was just poking at her cake with a spoon. Cookie wasn't exactly a big, sweets eater, unlike her sugarcrazed sister. Even when it came to actual food, she would just prod at it, taking the teeniest of tiniest bites. And to boot, Cookie was a vegetarian, much to Candy's absolute horror. And yet her name was Cookie...Candy was a something Poochie called a 'candivore', Cookie completely disregarded her ancestral diet of meat, and Poochie was just happy being a bouncy omnivore.

Cookie hadn't even turned to look at her sister. She just massaged her head and sighed, sensing Candy's unrelenting gaze. Cookie pushed her plate off to the right side. ''You know what to do, Pooch.'' she mumbled.

''Yep!'' Poochie yipped. She picked up the plate and gave it to the voracious candivore, who took it out of her paws. ''Into the lair of the **lion!**'' Poochie announced as if she was some sort of stupendous ringleader.

Candy leaned forward to smile at Cookie, ''Awww, you're too kind, big sister! Too kind!'' She licked her chops. ''Not that that's a bad thing, darling...''

''I know.'' Monotone, Cookie grumbled, resting her head in her paws.

Candy seemed to be a rather bad influence. The gargoyles had simply followed her lead, bashing their rock-hard heads into their plates. The winged vermin nibbled at the crushed remnants of the dish, making odd 'num num' noises for such ferocious creatures.

The Cardmaster rolled his eyes. Although, Patches wasn't sure what he was expecting the gargoyles to do. Pick up the forks and wear fancy napkins around their necks? They were wild animals, they wouldn't have proper etiquette!

''What dis?'' Grimmler asked with a curious, cocked head. ''Must know!'' Frosting had been smeared upon his entire face, obscuring his vision, so he was just looking around for The Cardmaster like a idiot. ''Taste good! But can't see...'' he swiped at his face with a clunky paw.

''Cake. It's called cake.'' The Cardmaster said, a little irritable. He was never a fan of their dinners unless there was some sort of alcohol around.

''_Crrr_awk! I like cake!'' Grimmler happily clapped his claws together like a child, a bright smile upon his wretched face.

''Obviously.''

Grimmler, after cleaning away the icing from his eyes with his long, thick tongue, tossed his head to a side, spittle flying. ''You!'' he bellowed at Hogface. ''Swinenosed waterdog! Fetch cake! Fetch more cake!''

Hogface, confused as usual, stared at The Cardmaster for permission.

With an aggravated sigh, The Cardmaster flicked his paw. ''Go.''

Hogface, getting up from his seat, saluted to Grimmler. ''Right away, fine sir!''

''Do not call me '_sir_', waterdog!'' Grimmler snapped.

''...Ma'am?''

''I am a king! A king!'' Grimmler proclaimed. He wrinkled his snout in disgust. ''Ugh. You deeply offend me, waterdog.'' He hunched over as if he had just been caught in the sunlight, in that classic, crouching pose. ''Go finda cake...'fore I hurt you.''

His subjects all looked towards Hogface, mimicking their king like mimes, growling. ''Yiss, yiss...''

Hogface didn't need to be told twice. ''Right away, O' Mighty King Grimmler!'' Like a good minion, he followed King Grimmler's orders, going over to the round table with the cake. With narrowed eyes, The Cardmaster stared at Hogface. Perhaps 'o mighty king' was overkill...These gargoyles wouldn't last one more day on this ship for sure.

Jabb wouldn't last one more day on this ship.

After stuffing a delicious chunk of cake into his mouth, Patches smiled. No, he didn't smile; he smirked...sinisterly. The Cardmaster would have them flayed alive. Jabb was the head of this stupid alliance plan, while The Cardmaster really wanted nothing to do with them. The gargoyles were supposed to be slaves, not houseguests. They were just dumb animals, like Jabb. What real purpose would they serve?

The Cardmaster didn't like anyone challenging his dominance. And anyone who did ended up a lot like Knifeteeth. Surprisingly, the last guy who challenged him survived, clambering out of battle...with half a face. Hey, at least he wasn't beheaded. Anyone who annoyed him would meet a gory demise, as well.

A shiver played along Patches' spine as he reminisced about the past. All throughout the horrific pictures, there was one image that he just couldn't shake from his mind. He cringed. The Seadog couldn't forget the image of the last pirates who irritated The Cardmaster. No one could forget such a sight. Before the time of Hogface, before the time of Jabb, and before the time of the Trio, there were the originals. It was a rather large crew, with both The Cardmaster's mateys and Knifeteeth's. Things weren't much different back then, besides Patches being only a mere pup, chasing after his dream of impressing his captain.

However, since Knifeteeth's army were still rookies to rules of the road to living successfully with The Cardmaster, some of them acted a little...unruly. Whenever The Cardmaster was away, a few of acted as if they were the leaders, pushing others around and lying through their teeth. But whenever The Cardmaster returned, they were complete suck-ups, even more than Patches. It wasn't long until The Cardmaster figured that he couldn't trust them, as Patches had reported back from eavesdropping on the Knifeteeth Seadogs, hearing that they wanted to murder the captain.

The one leading the group was called Hookclaw, for his unusual 'talons'. He was a scheming, lying fellow, blessed with a persuasive silver-tongue. Hookclaw was best described as a mooching mosquito, hopping from one ship to the next, getting up into the high ranks of the captain before swiftly taking him down with said leader's own crew. Coincidently, Hookclaw was Knifeteeth's brother, another one of the bullies from The Cardmaster's childhood. Therefore, The Cardmaster had already had bad blood with Hookclaw; to him everyone in that family was nothing but scum.

The next thing the Seadogs knew, The Cardmaster was washing blood from his claws, casually with a smile. No one truly knew what had happened to them until the sound of howls caught in their ears. All throughout the day, there were cries of pain, unnerving everyone on the ship...except for The Cardmaster. All throughout the night, there had always been bloodcurdling screams. While everyone else was terrified out of their minds, hiding under their blankets for safety, The Cardmaster slept like a pup, as if the cries were just a mere lullaby. It seemed as if their crude captain had just forgotten about the poor, unlucky lads for a few days, or maybe he just didn't care. However, the fetid stench coming from the floorboards was becoming just too much for his nose. Back then, the cellar was only exclusive to The Cardmaster, for he hoarded all his special beverages there. If someone was caught there without permission, they'd walk the plank with the same bottle of booze they tried to steal. Therefore, it was a nice place to keep other things, such as dead bodies.

As soon as the next day arrived, he ordered for Redfur, Patches, and some rookies to dispose of the bodies. None of them wanted to do it; they all knew that it'd be a terrible sight to see. But, no one knew what would happen to him if they didn't follow The Cardmaster's orders. He was certain to punish them...mortally. Building up enough courage, the group of wary dogs finally decided to go on their once-in-a-lifetime trip down to the cellar, where their crewmates' corpses lied. And as soon as they went down, they were met with a very unpleasant surprise.

Before they could even really make it down the stairs, their nostrils were assaulted by the horrid smells and their ears were pelted with the loud buzzing of pests. Stopping halfway to whimper and whine, Patches was urged to go first, for...safety reasons. With a gulp and a shiver, the little pup took his first steps into something he'd never forget.

The gang was all there.

Teeming with voracious, young Snappers, they were practically a bunch of decomposing nests, holding squirming, little newborns. The Seadogs were almost unrecognizable. Blood stains were everywhere, the walls, the floor, and even dried to the ceiling. Hookclaw died with half a shattered, liquor bottle in his paws, glass caked with strands of vile flesh; he must've killed the others before they could turn on him. After that, he either died from the overdose of venom, killed himself, or had a Snapper rip through something vital.

Patches turned to Jabb, who was staring at his fork with the widest eyes ever, for some reason. The Seadog quivered. Okay, maybe wishing that he'd become to host of creepy worms was a bit...dark. Perhaps a good push off the plank would be better; drowning was a beautiful way to die, right?

Seething, The Cardmaster stabbed his cake slice with his fork. ''Sooo...'' he menaced. ''King Grimmler...'' The captain said the gargoyle's title as if it was some sort of slur, with a snarl deep in the back of his throat. ''Do you have any enemies?''

Enjoying his second slice of cake, Grimmler looked up with a rumble. ''What?"

''Do you have any enemies?'' The Cardmaster repeated, very, very slowly.

''Well, we were enemy with waterdogs.'' Grimmler pouted in deep thought. ''But allies now. Hmmm...'' he squinted. ''Hmmm...''

''Hmmmm...'' His subjects continued to copy, tapping their chins. It was probably hard thinking with such minuscule minds.

After an exceptionally long amount of time and several 'hmmms', Grimmler finally came to a conclusion. ''Have no enemies, Master of Cards. Is neutral.''

The Cardmaster flicked an ear, as if he hadn't heard the gargoyle correctly. ''You...you don't have any enemies? At all?''

''Nuh! Not really.'' Grimmler shook his head, jowls flapping at the movement.

Well, it kind of made sense. These gargoyles had came from all the way out in the middle of nowhere, in a dank, collage of caves, and never truly never were bothered by anyone or anything except themselves.

''What about those Kangarats? You didn't seem to like them very much.''

''No, no, no, we're friends! They like jokes! Is most enjoyable to be around them!'' Grimmler chirped. He then looked down, licking some frosting from his dry, cracked lips. ''But are 'noying sometimes...Stubborn Kangas don't follow orders. They give us crystals, but not what we looking for. I say give me shiny, blue crystal, 'dey give me pink crystal. I say I wan' Traptainium, they give me worthless gold. _Graurk! _They can be so dumb at times...''

''You have no idea...'' Patches heard The Cardmaster quietly mutter. What?! What did he mean by that? Patches was a good dog! Patches was a very, good dog! He followed instructions and, so far, has never let down his captain! It was the rest of the crew that were nuisances. Certainly, the captain couldn't have been referring to him.

Fastidiously, The Cardmaster dapped his mouth with a napkin. He was such a strange, proper pirate, surprisingly much more of a gentleman than a swashbuckling brute. ''Well, what about the Skylanders?''

Grimmler, puzzled, raised a brow. ''Sky...ky...landers? Wha?''

''The Skylanders. You know, protectors of Skylands, way too many to count, big, small, really miniature, sometimes swappable...'' Unfortunately, the Seadog's explaining had only worsened the gargoyles' confusion, and they mumbled amongst themselves.

''What dat?''

''Never heard of dem!''

''Skylan...ders?''

''Wat?!''

Patches shared the same appalled face of The Cardmaster. How could they not know who the Skylanders were? That just wasn't possible! Had they been living under a rock?! Well, maybe. Weren't caves made from rocks...or something? Either way, these gargoyles were more idiotic than Patches thought...

Shaking his head in disbelief, a paw to his face, he looked away with a dash of secondhand embarrassment. ''Stupid, stupid, stupid...'' As he continued to smack his face, Patches' attention slowly diverted to a rather strange...gargoyle. A female gargoyle, to be exact. Unlike the rest of her bulky flockmates, she was as thin, like some sort of supermodel. She barely had any scratches, while her companions had ugly scars just about everywhere. Sparkling sapphires were sunk into her forehead, glittering like a miniature, blue stars. Compared to the males, her tough hide didn't look ashy and gray; instead, this gargoyle's skin was a rather pale shade, almost white. A dead, snowy mink was wrapped around her neck for apparel, its head drooping in a forever peaceful sleep.

The gargoyle was so distracting compared to the others; Patches simply couldn't take his eyes of the oddity. Somehow, in some strange way, she looked actually kind of...elegant. Well, for a gargoyle.

She blinked with long, dainty eyelashes.

Smiling at all of the boys, the gargoyle finally spoke. ''I 'lievvve I know of da Skylanders.''

Grimmler took one look at the she-goyle and squawked. Mouth hung agape, he shouted, ''Gurrrrrr! Who 'vited her? Who 'vited you! Was not to be in ambush, Gurr!''

The Cardmaster was confused, as were every other Seadog. ''Isn't she one of your flockmates, Grimmler?''

''No! Gurr try to kill me! Many times!'' Grimmler protested. Lifting his tiny wings, the gargoyle bared his stony teeth. ''Gurr is...**enemy**!''

Gurr rumbled a purr. ''Was only out of love, Grimmgrim.'' she flashed a bright, toothy grin. With a strident laugh, the she-goyle turned her head towards The Cardmaster. ''Go way back. Muchmuch way back, waterdog. Love, not in love, love, not in love...Flipfloppy!''

''Gurr is backastabba!''

''Phooney, thought you call me heartbreaker.''

The Cardmaster groaned and produced a bottle of rum from under the table. Biting off the cork, he muttered. ''Women.''

''All I ever vwanted vwas to meet a nice mate...'' Artistically, with her claws, she began sculpting a miniature Grimmler out of her cake slice. ''To settle down...'' she continued, molding a sculpture of herself right next to the big lump of cake. Gurr scooped up some pieces of cake in her claws. She added what Patches presumed to be eggs all about the plate. ''Have pretty offspringas...''

Wrinkling his snout, Grimmler shook his head. ''We already have offspringas. Many! Make up much of flock!''

''But, Grimgrim...'' Gurr whined. She stuck out her lip, showing sad eyes. ''Need muchmuch more..."

''Notta!'' Grimmler growled. ''No good mate! Always asking for more!''

Gurr blinked, face configured into rage. ''I am **great **mate!'' Gurr retorted.

The Cardmaster lifted his fangs in a soft growl. ''Hey, uh, gargoyles, we were supposed to be talking about the Skylanders...''

But the mates simply didn't listen, too involved in their argument.

''You left me! You founda new mate! Weak mate! Fallen in simple skirmish! Coward left us!''

''At least he vwas notta fat pig!''

A series of shocked gasps spewed into the room, coming from Seadog and gargoyle alike. Patches even paused from eating his cake, teeth pressed down on fork.

The Cardmaster was obviously getting aggravated. Rubbing at his eyes in annoyance, he continued to growl. ''Gargoyles...Gargoyle couples...I should've chosen Greebles.''

''You ugly twig!'' Grimmler countered.

Gurr drew her head back with a surprised squeak. She covered her mink's little ears with her claws. Fuming, her face soon transformed from shock to anger. ''Vwat?" she snarled. "Fatty!''

''Stupid!''

''No, you stoopid!''

''Bad mate!''

''I am a good mate!''

''Am not!''

''**ARE TO!**'' Gurr shrieked at him. ''You are notta suitable for me! Ruined everything! Hate you!'' Gurr flared her silvery, shimmery wings, snapping at the air with her fangs. Angrily, she stomped a claw onto her sculptures. ''I am **great** mate!'' She fleered at her mate, eyes narrowed to rageful slits. With a low rumble, she turned to stare at The Cardmaster, who was all the way out at the end of the table. Smirking, her voice and accusing gaze softened. ''Carddog is suitable mate.''

Pausing in mid-drink, The Cardmaster flinched. He slithered down in his seat, ears drooped. Was that...embarrassment? Patches couldn't tell. But it sure was amusing, as the loyal deputy did his best not to chortle at the captain. The others seemed to think it was pretty funny, too, muffling their snickers.

Paw over mouth, Redfur suppressed a small laugh. ''Poor bloke...''

''Handsomer than you.'' Gurr stated, fluffing out her mink's fur. ''Big! Powerful! Carddog is **BEST **mate! Muchmuch magic...'' Creepily, she slowly swiped her tongue around her mouth. ''Muchmuch muscles...'' Gurr fluttered her long eyelashes, giggling like a schoolgirl. ''Carddog mine.'' she waved a claw. ''Prettypretty doggy! Prettypretty **baby**!''

Grimmler practically shook with rage. Growling, the gargoyle looked at The Cardmaster, and then back to Gurr. ''Waterdog weak.'' he shook his head. ''Bad mate.''

The Cardmaster interjected with a growl. "Weak?"

''Says you!'' Gurr protested. Pushing herself up onto the table, the gargoyle leapt forward with a sharp squawk. ''You justa jealous that Carddog is **beautiful**!'' She stalked towards Grimmler, hissing. "I claim Carddog as mine."

"Don't claim me..." The Cardmaster said in a mutter, face in claws. "I don't want to be clai-"

"He is **new **mate!" Gurr exclaimed, stretching her wings out to look more imposing. Sticking her snout to his, she sibilantly said, ''And there is nothing you canna do about it.''

Lost for words, Grimmler's eyes darted here and there, as if looking for some sort of invisible backup. Dark lips quivering in rage, or maybe sadness, he showed some of his teeth. Taking his gaze off of Gurr, he dipped his head. '' 'Give me...'' Grimmler looked up at the she-goyle for a split second before looking back down with a noise that sounded like a whine. ''Still love you...''

Poochie rested her head in fluffy paws and sighed. ''Wuv...''

Slowly, Gurr grasped Grimmler by his jaw. Tickling under the king's chin, she grinned. ''Oh, Grimgrim...'' Gurr gave him a quick nuzzle. Rubbing a frosted, cake claw in Grimmler's snout, tauntingly, the queen simpered. ''But it not that easy...''

As she backed away, Grimmler gave a wavy, guttural growl. "You..."

Gurr put a paw onto a chest, showing a winning smile. "Me!"

"ATTACK!"

That one, simple command sent mayhem into full throttle.

Gargoyles leapt from their chair, wrestling and roughhousing all of the place, on the floor, on the table, in the air. But, stupidly, they were all avoiding their target: Gurr, who was just giggling. "Idiotsa." Precisely! These gargoyles weren't warriors, they were absolute buffoons!

Grumpily, The Cardmaster rose from his seat. "I'm going!" he barked, as he heatedly as can be. Slamming his chair to the table, the Seadog stomped off. But before trudging off to have a tantrum, he turned back around, eyes daggering into his deputy. "Patches..."

Patches immediately put full attention on his captain, eyes as wide as the moon. "Yes, captain?!" he asked in an excited yip.

"Do something about..._this_..." With a final grumble, The Cardmaster stomped off.

Patches sunk down into his chair. Paws on his head, he whimpered.

"There, there..." Jabb pat the Seadog on his shoulder. "Bettah luck next time, mate.''

* * *

''Open up those eyes, Spyro. Come on, you purple dork.''

Cynder was standing around her leader, awaiting intensly for him to awake. She nudged the purple dragon with a claw. She'd been keeping an eye on him at all times. Before, Spyro had been freaking out about his wing, making it rather difficult for Voodood to pop the bone back in place. So, Cynder had whacked him a few times in the head with her tail. At first, it was actually...kind of funny hitting him, seeing him stumble around with his forked tongue lolling from his mouth like a dazed dog. However, now, she was starting to regret her actions.

Spyro just wasn't waking up.

''Get those red eyes open.'' Cynder urged. ''You're not supposed to be the one sleeping. Sleeping is my job!''

The purple dragon was still breathing, thankfully. But, for some reason, just refused to budge. Cynder had poked him in the nose, she'd bit him, she'd even whacked him a few more times. _That was fun__, _Cynder bared a tiny, gummy smile at the thought. But no matter how many times Cynder tried to awaken the Purple Dragon, nothing had happened, at all.

She was running out of ideas.

Maybe she could...ask Camo to prank him with exploding watermelon? No, too messy. Well, maybe she could have Punk Shock bring in some new rock tunes? No, that'd be too loud. Have Fryno take good ol' Angry Bike for a ride with Spyro strapped onboard? No, that'd be even crazier, and that itty-bitty pachyderm would probably bring the Mainland to nothing but flames. Find one of Stink Bomb's socks and throw it over Spyro's face? No, from what she recalled, the skunk had only one pair of socks, and never, ever washed them; Cynder was pretty sure he'd packed the socks up for the Swappers' little adventure, anyway.

What was a dragoness to do in such a situation? Cynder hunched over and huffed. She needed the leader up now...Or else that menace Gill Grunt would take over again! ''Hmm...'' Cynder scratched at the underside of her jaw. Ah! Yes! An excellent idea came to her! Rubbing her claws together, she laughed. ''Time for some** shock **therapy!''

The dragoness lowered herself to the floor like a stalking at, tail waggling to and fro in excitement. All dragons were pranksters; it was simply in their genes. Cynder, however, wasn't too fond of them, being a little too bitter for the fun. Often times, the trickster would find themselves in a world of hurt...and painful, dark electricity. But, she still had a sense of humor, unlike Hex; that mistress never even shared a smile, well, maybe a smirk here to there, but nothing more. Parting her jaws wide, a ball of bright lightning gathered in the back of Cynder's mouth. _You brought this onto yourself, lover boy, _she thought.

And then Spyro stirred.

Cynder perked up and sprang to her feet. Stopping the crackling electricity in her throat, she showed a gummy smile. ''Spyro!'' the dark dragoness exclaimed in relief.

Spyro opened up a tired eye, slightly. ''Mhm...'' he moaned. ''...wha?''

''You're okay!'' Cynder started to go in for nuzzle, but drew away with a grimace. There would be no cutesy, dragon nuzzles; someone might've been watching. ''And speaking of someone...'' Cynder pondered out loud. Still wearing a smile, the dark dragoness dashed over to the entrance. Peeking her head out, she immediately spotted Sonic Boom, who was happily enjoying the gusts of wind, feathers swaying in the gale. She had been watching over him, as well. The two would take turns, one would stay beside Spyro, and the other would get some shut eye. It was an endless cycle throughout the night. Why were they doing this? Well, Sonic Boom always liked to stay by the side of the sickly or wounded. She would be like a temporary mother for the rest of a Skylander's ailment. Cynder, on the other hand, hadn't explained why she was volunteering in the matter.

Cynder called to Air Skylander. ''Hey, hey!''

Sonic Boom, unfortunately, hadn't heard, too enthralled by the breeze. Being Undead, Cynder hadn't understood what was so amazing about being nearly blown over by air. A storm was about to pick up, and Sonic Boom was just...sitting there, enjoying herself. At least she wasn't as bad as Free Ranger; that chicken would be out in the biggest storm of the year, laughing like a complete maniac. To be honest, both of the Air Swappers were kind of dangerous. Boom Jet was a daredevil, and Free Ranger was a storm chaser. That was not a good combination...

With a little squawk, Sonic Boom spread out her wings, feathers rippling in the wind. ''Aaah...'' she parted her beak in a sigh.

''Sonic!'' Cynder cupped a claw around her snout. ''I-I think Spyro's waking up!''

Sonic Boom's feathers struck up like that of a cockatoo's. Immediately, she made a mad dash inside. ''**SPYRO!**''

At the sound of the grating squawk, Spyro snapped awake. ''Aah!''

Cynder winced. ''Oww...'' Sonic Boom, obviously, was loud. Really loud. After giving her head a good shake, the shriek still ringing in her eardrums, Cynder looked down at Spyro. ''Well, the sleepyhead's up. We should've just got you to screech earlier.''

Sonic Boom laughed a little. ''Mayhaps...''

Lazily, Spyro blinked. ''Wha...what happened? Why are you all staring at me like that?'' he grimaced with a miserable growl. ''And why does my wing hurt?''

''Hah!'' Cynder cackled. ''You don't remember? You were practically bawling your eyes out last night, dragonfly!'' She nudged him teasingly. ''I kind of knocked you out pretty hard.''

''You dislocated your right wing, Spyro. Whirlwind and Voodood healed your other injuries the best she could.'' Sonic Boom said.

''Wh-whirlwind?'' Spyro cocked his head.

''Yes, Whirlwind, little ray of sunshine, shoots rainbows from magical horn, bird-like wings, sometimes has mood swings-'' Cynder responded.

''Whirlwind! A-and Flashwing! Are they okay? And the others! Is everyone okay?! Where are those dark dragons?! Did we finish them?! I need to know!'' Spyro jolted up. He looked as if he was about to sprint off in a hurry, but Cynder stopped him.

''Woah, settle down there. Don't get your tail in a twist, fearless leader.'' Cynder smiled. ''Everyone's okay. Just a few scratches and cuts, nothing much. The girls are recovering from their last encounter with a _horrible _monster. Flashwing's busy boasting about how they courageously charged into the arena, driving the beast back into the shadows as it mewed like a kitten. Sounds like a bunch of lies to me, but whatever...'' She then looked down to Spyro's wing. ''Yeah, about your wing...You broke it. Again. Some how you got your wing in a dragon's mouth. Screamed like a freaking banshee!'' Cynder snickered, only to have Sonic Boom give her a sudden glare.

The Mother Stare.

Dubbed by the other Skylanders, The Mother Stare was an unstoppable power. One glance into the eyes of the mother griffin would pressure any Skylander into submission; none of them were immune to such a gaze. Misbehavior of any kind would automatically be undone from the optic spell.

Cynder immediately covered her face with a wing to deflect the petrifying gaze. Mechanically, she said, ''We were all worried for your safety, Spyro. I stayed by your side the whole night, keeping a wing over you like a warm blanket. And it was all because I care about you. I care about you so, so, so, so very much. So much caring. _Soooo_ much.''

''That's more like it.'' Sonic Boom slapped her on the back with a wing. Cynder muttered something darkly to herself, but Sonic Boom didn't take any mind to it, turning back to her leader. ''Flavius' army is fine, too. We've learned a thing or to from them and-''

''Purple Dragon of Legend!'' A peppy voice sounded from behind the two Skyladies.

''That guy.'' Cynder finished.

Emerald came bounding into the Mediç's Tent, ''Purple Dragon!'' He looked at the two, female Skylanders and gave a sheepish smile. ''A-and m'ladies.''

Cynder snorted. ''This Emerald character's been bugging me all day.'' She scratched vigorously at her collar with her hindleg, mumbling. ''Like a pesky mite that you just can't get off. And I'm pretty sure he's been just **itching** to talk to you, Spyro.'' She groused to Sonic Boom, ''I'm startin' to miss that Drilla, this thing would've been gone already. Why do I have fleas? It's not like they can get anything useful from scales!''

''I'm terribly sorry, fair maiden.'' Emerald dipped his head.

''For what, your gabby mouth or this stupid bug?''

''...My mouth? The bug? B-both? I am, erm, terribly sorry for both, miss!''

Cynder rolled her eyes. ''Apology accepted. I guess.''

Emerald reached for Sonic Boom's paw, graciously planting a kiss on it. He tried to do the same for Cynder, but the dragoness immediately declined, her teeth jetting from her gums as she hissed, sparks rising in her throat.

Emerald, frightened, took a few steps back. With a nervous grin, he dipped his head. ''My apologies.''

''Yeah, yeah.'' Cynder retracted her teeth, still giving glares.

Emerald turned to Spyro, eyebrows lifting into a sad expression. ''Oh, Spy..Spyro...I-I can't even get my words right. This is just too awful to bare! This is **dreadful!**'' He put his paws on his eyes, weeping. Of course, some sort of a motherly nerve in Sonic Boom kicked, and she lovingly patted Emerald on his back, rubbing up and down his spines. ''There, there...I'll explain.'' she cooed.

''Thank you...'' Emerald replied in between sniffles.

As promised, Sonic Boom reported to Spyro. ''Flavius got a few of the dragons to talk to us. Most of the dark dragons were persistent on not opening their mouths, and when they did, it was nothing more than a series of almost inaudible mutters and babbles, sometimes even hisses. Luckily, fearing for his life, one of them decided to speak up, to the others' outrage. It was as if it was simply a crime to talk! We hadn't understood their secrecy at first, but then, after the squealer's rambling, everything became crystal clear...'' She waved a paw for show, as if she was telling some sort of awe-inspiring story. ''Far, far away in the Outlands, these so-called _Pit Dragons _thrive underneath the ground, living in tunnels and burrows. They apparently live under the rule of one king, fighting for their lives in some sort of arena, where their leader judges if they should live or die. We asked the dragon who this king was, but his companions were glaring daggers at him, growling. We didn't get anymore out of him...Our shadow friends are what they call Stalkers. They can't talk, no matter what. If they do, well, I guess something bad happens. They didn't tell us that either.''

Spyro was still trying to understand the situation, blinking several times in puzzlement; he was still pretty lethargic.

Cynder groaned. ''Augh, I hate kings. They treat their followers like little insects, like they're just petty things, their playthings even! Too bossy for my tastes. Sort of like someone else I know...'' Her eyes veered off to a certain purple dragon.

Emerald wiped a tear away from the corner of his eye with a shivering paw. ''B-but that's not the worst of it.'' he whimpered.

''Oh, yes, this guy Emmett-''

''Emerald...''

''Yes, Emerald,'' Cynder corrected, curtly, ''had something terribly, terrifyingly awful happen to him! It's something absolutely horrific!'' Obvious sarcasm trickled from her tone.

''The books?'' Spyro asked.

Cynder gave a nod and groused. ''Yeppity-deda-do.''

Emerald threw his head back with a cry. ''**T****HE BOOKS!**'' He whined something for a moment before looking at Spyro with tearful eyes. ''My library is ruined!'' This-this dragoness came in and ruined everything! S-sure, she was kinda pretty...And her scales were really, really shiny. Bu-but she was stealing! Stealing my scrolls! I...'' Emerald then got rather close to Spyro's face, looking back momentarily to make sure the two Skyladies weren't looking. ''Actually I just hid in a pile of books but, uh, that's just a secret between the two of us, Purple Dragon of Legend.'' He then puffed out his chest, turning back to the females in a heroic stance. ''She begged for mercy, for my claws had deep inside her flesh, pinned down under my might. She was pleading like a little hatchling. '_Oh, no, don't hurt me! I'm sorry! I won't do it again!'_ Like any good gentledragon, I stepped off of her, but gave her a warning. She won't be coming back, you can be sure of that.''

Even though she probably knew that story was nothing but a load of bologna, or at least Cynder hoped so, Sonic Boom gave a round of applause.

''How...brave?'' Spyro replied with uncertainty.

''How _very, very _brave...'' Cynder added, muffling a little snort of amusement.

''Why, thank you all.'' Emerald smiled, wiggling his tail in delight. ''It was nothing.''

Suddenly, the clatter of glass hitting the ground startled everyone, followed by an irritable groan. Emerald nearly jumped out of his hide with a terrified yelp. His back arched like a cat. ''W-wha-what was that?''

Pop Fizz stumbled excitedly into the tent, ears perked up like a rabbit as he squeezed his way through Emerald, Sonic Boom, and Cynder. ''I've got it!'' He held up a potion, smiling brightly. ''Spyro, I've got it!''

Spyro grinned his gummy smile. ''Great!''

Cynder looked at Pop Fizz and then back at Spyro. ''Wait, wait, wait...He's got what? Spyro, what is that?''

''It's a potion.'' Spyro replied with a smirk.

''I know it's a potion!'' Cynder exclaimed. ''But what is it for?!''

''It's a Bane of Your Existence spell...but turned into a liquid.'' Pop Fizz nonchalantly explained.

''What?!''

Pop Fizz smiled. ''I know, cool, right? I made it myself!''

''No, no, no, not cool. Not cool at all!''

''Relax, Cyn, don't get _your_ tail in a twist. I trust him; it's not...poison or anything.'' Spyro said, receiving the potion from Pop Fizz, placing the bottle between his claws. The liquid inside of it was a glowing red, filled to the very top.

''Look at it! It's red! I-It's evil! You can't trust that! The last time I was Pop Fizz' lab assistant my scales turned pink! You remember that, right? Everyone remembers that!'' Cynder protested.

Pop Fizz stifled a laugh. ''And it was hilarious. You were so sparkly! Like a pretty, pink princess! And we all called you Miss Sparklescales!''

Cynder unsheathed her teeth with a menace. ''Pop Fizz,'' she growled through gritted teeth,''I thought we agreed to never bring up that name again.''

''I mean it was terrible!'' Pop Fizz flattened his ears back. He shuffled his feet, nervously. ''Y-yeah, that's what I meant!''

Cynder stopped snarling at the scared gremlin. She stamped her claw down and turned back to her leader. ''Spyro, haven't I told you already? The Bane of Your Existence curse isn't fun. At all.''

''This one isn't a curse, it's a spell. And it's liquefied.'' Spyro corrected.

Cynder snorted, wings twitching with irritation. ''Same difference!''

''Actually-'' Pop Fizz started, raising a finger.

''Shut it.''

''Will do!''

Spyro put his claw onto the top of the potion, popping off the cork stuck in the bottle. Instantly, a puff of red smoke exploded from it like a miniature, mushroom cloud. He sniffed and tilted his head. ''Strawberries?''

''Yep!'' Pop Fizz answered.

Spyro gazed at Cynder, with that stupid, smug smart-alecky look on his face.

Cynder rolled her eyes. _Purple swellhead_, she thought. She was only looking out for his well-being. Isn't that what she was supposed to do? Protect?! Why couldn't he understand that?! Spyro wasn't an ordinary teammate, he was the leader! With Master Eon deceased, or in other words immobilized as a giant, floating head...for some reason, Spyro was his replacement. And there was only one, real Spyro! No matter how hard Gill Grunt tried to be a leader, he'd never compare to the Purple Dragon of Legend. Gill Grunt trying to lead all of the Skylanders would be a complete and utter catastrophe! He could barely lead the Water Skylanders and he was the Water Commander for heaven's sake!

Getting things through Spyro's head was exceptionally difficult; the purple dragon was simply as stubborn as a mule! Nearly all of the Skylanders knew never to trust Pop Fizz' potions. The gremlin had turned himself into a ferocious, wooly beast by just trying to make a charm potion. Why would anyone want the same thing to happen to them? There had been several mishaps with Skylanders accepting to be lab assistants: crazy, multicolor hair, uncontrollable itching, constant laughter, odd cravings, puffy tongues, strange speech, and tons of other wacky disasters. The potions were wildcards; no one really knew what would happen to them after downing one. It was always such a_ wonderful_ surprise!

''It's strawberry-flavored, Cynder!'' Spyro said with a short laugh. ''How bad could it be?''

''Uh, I too am worried for your safety, Purple Dragon...'' Emerald, hesitantly, raised a claw.

''Exactly.'' Cynder curled her tail around her claws, flaring her nostrils with a triumphant snort. ''Even he agrees with me.''

''...but I will go along with it since you are the Purple Dragon of Legend. I am certain you know exactly what you are getting into.'' Emerald finished with a nod.

Cynder looked at the green dragon. ''Really? This guy?''

''Yes, Purple Dragons are archaic beings, able to master all eight known elements! They are simply incredible!'' Emerald replied, ecstatically, flapping his wings in delight.

''Incredible? You're really serious about this?''

''Why, of course! I've read all about them at my library! At the academy, when I was just a little hatchling, we all looked up to the great dragons! I wanted to be one! I-I still do! Nothing can defeat a Purple Dragon!''

''Except a squeaky, hammy, bald idiot in goth makeup and a dress.''

''Well...he's a Portal Master...so...''

''So nothing!'' Cynder snaped, making Emerald flinch and scoot away. Wrinkling her snout, she stomped towards her leader. ''Spy-'' she started, angrily.

Before she could do anything, Sonic Boom stuffed her feathery tail into the dragoness' mouth. Gently, the mother griffin said, ''Spyro, dear, you choose whatever you want to do.''

Cynder scowled. It was as if Sonic Boom was talking to Spyro like one of her own children! With an odd-sounding grumble, Cynder batted the tail away like a cat. ''Don't encourage him! He's crazy!'' she exclaimed, feathers dropping from her maw. ''Insane!''

''You're in charge; you make the moves.'' Sonic Boom said with a smile. ''Even if you are bonkers enough to actually drink _that_ stuff.''

Pop Fizz, grinning, gave a thumbs up. ''And I approve of those messages!''

''I disapprove!'' Cynder looked around at her fellow Skylanders, and Emerald, as if they'd betrayed him. She looked back at Spyro. ''Don't listen to them! This isn't right!'' she stammered. ''Th-this won't help **_anything_**! You don't even know if it'll work! W-what if it backfires?! What if-''

''Then it backfires.'' Spyro shrugged.

''You're not worried about this? In the slightest?''

''Nope!'' Spyro dipped the flask towards his pug snout, claws grasping its base. As if to have a quick change of mind, he tilted his head at Pop Fizz. ''Hey, Fizz, you _did_ try this before giving this to me, right?''

Pop Fizz fiddled with his thumbs. ''...Well, heh, the ground tried it when I crashed into it...''

Spyro sighed. After looking up to the roof of the tent, as if he was trying to console Eon, the leader stared hesitantly at the flask with held breath.

Emerald put a claw to the flask. ''Are you certain you want to do this, Purple Dragon?''

''Don't bother.'' Cynder flicked her tail. A little exasperated, and exhausted, she curled up into a little, violet ball, turning her back to the scene. ''When Spyro makes up his mind, he makes up his mind. It's no use.''

She could feel Spyro giving her a compensating look. _Yeah_, Cynder laughed in her mind,_ You're making mistake, Gums. Feel bad._

However, it wasn't long until his gaze drifted back to the flask between his paws. Slowly, he looked up, and flared his horns. With a smirk, as spunky as ever, Spyro finally made his decision. ''Certain.'' Fire blazed in his eyes. ''Let's do this.''

Cynder's wings shuffled in alarm at the response. _He's really doing it? __I thought that guilt trip would work! _

He couldn't do this! He was the heart of the Skylanders! If he died...No, no one could replace Spyro; there was no better leader! She couldn't live without him! Well...the Skylanders couldn't live without him. That was what mattered the most.

The dark dragoness immediately rose to her legs, but before she knew it, her leader was already licking red liquid from his mouth. Cynder was absolutely certain that her heart had been flung into her throat. She stifled a gasp, clenching up in shock. Spooked, her legs fell stiff, her scales grew white, and her tail struck up to a point. Maw shut, the dragoness held her breath, as if her own life depended on it. _Spyro, you idiot!_

That fool! She wanted to whack Spyro in the head so hard that whatever was left of his brains exploded from his earholes! She wanted to smash his thick skull in with a club! She wanted to shock him so hard that his scales fell off! Cynder's claws dug into the ground, as if they had a mind of their own. Teeth grinding together, she struggled to keep the idea of tearing her leader apart in the back of her head. She fought back the vicious screech that wanted to escape her jaws. A series of aggressive comments whirled a storm in her mind.

_You just ruined your life! _

_You're so stupid! _

_You're going to be haunted by nightmares!_

_It'll be all your fault!_

**_YOU'LL DIE!_**

Anxiously, Cynder swallowed. She looked down at her claws. All had been lost.

''I'm not feelin' any different...''

Cynder's head snapped up with such a force it sounded as if something broke. ''Wha...what?'' she managed to stammer out. It didn't work? Eyes widening, Cynder showed a smile. ''Thank the Portals...'' she murmured under her breath. It didn't work! Of course it didn't work! The Bane of Your Existence spell needed a talented magician to make it all happen! A wizard! A warlock! A mage! Pop Fizz wasn't anything of those; he was just a mad scientist that threw random stuff together! Of course! Cynder, tail waggling, stuffed the happiest of chortles down, muffling her joy. Of course!

''What?!'' Pop Fizz shrieked. ''But...but it was supposed to work! Instantly!'' Ears flopped down, the gremlin frowned. ''I perfected everything...''

Cynder's happy expression fell flat. Like any other Skylander, Pop Fizz never took to kindly to failures. Cynder never liked looking at the gremlin so sad; he was supposed to be a wacky, energetic furball, not a fuzzy, sad sack. The dark dragoness patted Pop Fizz's head with a tenetive claw. She wasn't _that_ much of a heartless snark.''Hey, don't start doing that again, bud. Don't beat yourself down. Maybe the next bat-''

''Oh, right, the next batch! Yeah! I'll go work on that now.'' In a blue blur, Pop Fizz sped off. ''Thanks, Cyndy!''

A tiny squeak of surprise nearly escaped her lips. What had she just done? What did she just do?! ''Why'd I have to say that?'' Pitifully, she dropped to the ground like a sad puddle of water. With a tiny groan, she rested her head upon her claws.

Sonic Boom sat down beside the Undead Skylander. Gently brushing her tail gainst the Undead Dragon's scales, she gave a warm smile. ''Better luck next time, dear.''

''Miss Cynder...'' A voice called from behind the dragoness.

''Cyn-Cyn!'' Another voice piped up, cheerily.

Groggily, Cynder raised her head. She turned her head in the slowest of fashions to face the speakers, Grim Creeper and Roller Brawl. With an aggravated snort from her flared nostrils, Cynder mumbled through her teeth. ''What?''

''Patrol time.'' Grim Creeper replied.

''Yeah, Hex sent us over.'' Roller Brawl added. ''And you know crabby she can get when someone's late...''

Cynder let out an exhausted sigh, though it sounded more like another, notorious Undead grumble. Slowly, like a little, decrepit Mabumaid, the dragoness pushed herself up. ''Oh, of course. How could I forget?'' she grimaced. Grudgingly, she forced a fake grin. ''_Yaaaaay_!''

''Well, it could be worse.'' Spyro joked. ''What if Night Shift was leading the patrol?''

Eyes bright with anger, Cynder jerked her head to the purple dragon. The glow of crackling electricity seeped through the dragoness' teeth. ''Don't. Talk. To. Me.'' For every word, there was a scathing hiss followed after.

Roller Brawl raised her claws to her mouth. ''Ooooo...''

''Wha...?'' Spyro tilted his head like a confused puppy. ''What?'' He turned to Sonic Boom for answers. ''Wh-what did I do?''

Livid, Cynder whapped Spyro across the head with her tail.

''Ow!'' Spyro rubbed the now bruised spot on his head. ''Cynder! What the heck?!'' He turned to Sonic Boom for answers. ''Wha-what'd I do wrong?''

Cynder sauntered out of the tent, snout in the air, a bit like Flashwing. Eyes closed, a smug smile curled on her face; she looked like a villain. However, her simpering ended when she heard chuckling...She opened her eyes and there were Grim Creeper and Roller Brawl, chuckling at her like mad. Cynder lifted a brow at them. ''What?''

They stifled their laughs as soon as she glared at them.

''What're you laughing at?'' Cynder demanded.

Mischievously, the two exchanged glances.

Grim Creeper cleared his throat. ''Soo...Cyndy.'' he drawled.

''Cyn**der**. Not Cyndy, not Cyn-Cyn, not anything else like that. Just Cynder.''

''Okay,_ Miss_ Cynder...'' Grim Creeper teased. He gave her a little poke with the hilt of his scythe. ''What happened in there, hm? What's going on between you two? Everyone's interested in the latest episode of the Adventures of Spyro and Cynder: The Ultimate Soap Opera.''

''Yeah, give us the goods!'' Roller Brawl exclaimed.

"You're in on this too, guys?'' Cynder rose a brow. ''Seriously?''

''Everyone's in on this, Cyn-Cyn!'' Roller Brawl showed her fangs in a smile.

Grim Creeper nodded, ''Wellll, I do like my romantic shows. A dash of it here and there never hurt anyone. So, what'd you say to Spyro?''

Cynder only groaned. The rest of the Skylanders had all been snooping on their relationship. _If you can even call it that_, Cynder thought. They were always poking and prodding at her for answers. _Are you guys in love? Are you two going to have children? Kissed him yet? Tell us, Cynder! Tell us! _They were all so annoying when they do it! They even bothered Spyro, their leader, too! He usually just shrugged it off, coming up with some sort of line like, 'I'm married to my job'. Cynder, on the other hand, snapped at them with some snarky comment.

''Nothing special? Nothing? Nothing to gossip about?'' Grim Creeper widened an eye. ''I swear on my afterlife that I heard some _romantic_ tension in there...''

Halting her pace, Cynder just stared at him for a moment.

Grim Creeper only gave her a smile, a curve that crossed his face in a naughty manner. Turning his weapon upside down, he leaned on its hilt, looking like some sort of hip gangster. ''Did I do something wrong, Cynder?''

Finally, Cynder took her gaze off of the reaper. ''You're strange, you know that, right?''

Grim Creeper only laughed, chillingly, like a true villain. ''Oh, my dear...'' He cleaned the blade of his scythe by running a quick finger over it, ridding it of nonexistent dirt. ''I'm just being curious, 'tis all.''

''Now I know why they call you Creeper...''

''I never knew you were the jokester type, Cynder.''

''I wasn't joking.''

Grim Creeper snickered at his fellow Undead teammate. ''Don't you worry, I take no offense to that comment. Everthing's cool...'' With another smirk, he touched the covering on his head. ''...In the hood.''

Roller Brawl burst out into a laughing fit and Grim Creeper gave the skater a highfive.

''_Kill_ me.'' Cynder mumbled.

Laughing with the pink-haired vampire, Grim Creeper winked at Cynder. ''I'm the Grim **Creeper**. Not the Grim** Reaper**. But, I could arrange something with him. Heh, Reaps and I are old pals.'' After spinning his scythe for show, he skillfully cut through the atmosphere, like a knife through butter. Tendrils of darkness swirled around the edges of the opening. Almost immediately after that, a deathly stench blasted forth from the gash, forcing the Skylanders back a few inches. Unfazed, Cynder let out a single cough. The smell of death wasn't that bad; to the Undead, it was actually quite pleasant...in a strange way.

''That smell...'' Roller Brawl awed. Putting a hand on her hips, she shook her head. ''The others are startin' to complain about it, Creep. Weird, right?''

''And yet they don't say anything when Stink Bomb prances about...'' Grim Creeper scoffed. ''Naysaying newbs...''

''Newbs?'' Cynder winced.

Grim Creeper slyly smiled. ''What? Unlike **you** I try to stay cool and hip with the home dawgs. Freeze Blade lessons, yo.''

''Just...stop, please.''

''Okay, but only because you asked, my little dragoness.'' Grim Creeper stepped to a side and bowed, weapon behind back. ''Ladies first...''

''Don't have to tell me twice!'' Roller Brawl skated back a few steps, before speeding ahead, launching herself into the portal. ''Woooo!''

Cynder only snorted at Grim Creeper, who, once again, smiled at her. She started for the slit...only to stop in her tracks. The dark dragoness turned around to gaze at the Medic's Tent.

To gaze at Spyro.

With slit eyes, she frowned. Cynder was getting really, really concerned about him. Why did he have to be so hardheaded? So imprudent? So careless? Were normal leaders like that? Dragons genetically thought they were supreme, being some of the most benevolent and or malevolent things in Skylands. But, sometimes, Spyro seemed to take it to another level. Of course, it wasn't as bad as the stuck-up Sunburn, but the purple dragon was slowly inching there. If he continued such recklessness...

''Cynder?''

Shaking her head to clear thoughts, the dark dragoness turned to the reaper. There was no point in dwelling on the matter. Spyro was just being Spyro; it was as simple as that. It was just in his nature to be so nonchalant. Even if it was utterly stupid...

''Is something-'' Grim Creeper started.

''No-nothing...'' Cynder responded with a sullen look. Breathing out a sigh, she took a few steps forward. ''Let's...let's go. I don't want to keep Hex waiting.''

''Neither do I.'' Grim Creeper nodded in agreement. Like a soldier, he gave a quick salute. ''See you on the other side, Cyn.''

''See you...soon. I guess.'' Cynder dipped her head. And with that, she trudged up to the opening, and effortlessly jumped through it.

_See you soon, Spyro..._

* * *

Amid the orange, afternoon sky, the hot sun beat down onto the Malicious Mongrel. Seagulls waddled about on the deck of the ship, pecking at the leftover scraps of caught fish. Feathers flew as they scrambled. Being in the midst of the summer heat, Rotclaw wasn't particularly having a great time. Seadogs were covered in thick layers of fur and underneath all the thick fur was even more slick, shorter fur. While most other creatures sweated, the furry canines panted. Although it didn't seem to be helping Rottie much; it was scorching!

The salty seawater was certainly enticing at the time...

The passengers were all in their room, napping, Rotclaw had guessed. Or maybe they were hiding from the heat. Or messing with the newest arrival, Chester. Or perhaps they were tending to their _patient_, Freeze Blade, doing Skylands' know what to that poor Frost Feline. Rotclaw smiled in mirth. He didn't know the true Freeze Blade, but he was especially fond of this Snapper bitten one. The cat was acting like a child, more than usual according to the Swappers. His odd, unexplainable childish behavior had reminded him of Mange...In some weird, unexplainable way.

Rotclaw frowned. But really, everything nowadays had been reminding him of his son. _Liddle anklebiter_, he thought. The Esper had been following the Mongrel like a hunter's bloodhound. Although, the Skylanders seemed wary about it, Rotclaw simply didn't mind. To him, it was more of father-son bonding time rather than the start of a killing spree. Abruptly, the sound of terrified squawking and hasty flaps had rattled Rotclaw's ears. He hadn't thought much of it; the seagulls were probably just fighting again. However, when he turned around, the birds were gone. Well, all except for one, which perched itself upon the steering wheel.

''Hey, hey, hey, no freeloaders. I suggest ye turn tail with yer mates.'' Rotclaw waved a claw in attempt to shoo the feathered pest away. However, this one hadn't even flinched, as still as a statue. Rotclaw tilted his head. This bird didn't seem right. Its eyes were glowing an ominous, bright purple, locked onto the Seadog with a penetrating stare.

''Go on, git. I can't steer with ye sittin' on me wheel.'' Rotclaw continued. And the seagull continued to ignore him.

_Wait a second_, Rotclaw thought. Those eyes...He knew that cold, everlasting gaze. Before he could find his mind, the seagull then bobbed its head, tumbled off the wheel, and hit the floor with a thud. Rotclaw's hackles rose. Was it dead? Just then, a purple aura receded from its body, flying through the air in misty wisps of magic. With a faint smile, Rotclaw's ears perked up. ''I know yore here...liddle captain.''

''Aw, that's no fun. You ruined my surprise...''

Slowly, Rotclaw turned around to face an ominous figure. ''Hello, son.''

The Cardmaster seemed to be in a rather mysterious mood, hooded in his pitch black cloak with a mischievous smirk. ''I was planning a big reveal. It was a surprise. You do know how much I adore surprises?'' he stalked up to his father. He threw his hood off of his head with a bright, flashy grin. ''Greetings, _daddy_.'' he said, teeth shining as he spat out the word.

Rotclaw grinned right back at him. ''Ye can control the gulls now, I see. Very impressive.''

The Cardmaster snorted. ''Yes, well, that's the best luck I've been having. I can't control them for no more than a few seconds!'' he curled his lip with a grimace. ''Useless birds. What I truly wish to control is...'' He narrowed his eyes down to evil slits. ''Rotclaw...'' the Seadog called, darkly. ''Where are your..._passengers_?''

''What passengers?''

The Cardmaster almost got snout-to-snout with his father. ''Don't try that tomfoolery on me. I know they're with you...''

''Who?''

''Those insufferable Skylanders!'' The Cardmaster shoved his father in the chest with a claw. ''I can smell them.'' The Cardmaster started to circle around Rotclaw, gradual with every, single step. ''I smell them...on _you_. You're just hiding them from me.'' he furrowed his brows. ''Aren't you?'' Without getting an answer from Rotclaw, The Cardmaster drew his lips back. ''Aren't you?!'' he snapped. ''Answer me, father! Answer your son!'' Fuming, a growl rumbled deep in the Seadog's throat. ''Tell me...''

''The Skylanders are only guests. I am-''

''So...You've betrayed me again.'' The Cardmaster had actually sounded upset, a slight whimper in his voice. Though known to be bloodthirsty, ravaging villain, The Cardmaster gazed at him with big, puppydog eyes, and Rotclaw couldn't help but feel bad for his son. The Mongrel's captain had to keep turning, for The Cardmaster were still orbiting around him. He was like a cobra about to strike, quickening his pace with every round, growling his anger. The Cardmaster stamped a foot onto the floor once he returned to face Rotclaw. ''You've betrayed me. Again.'' he repeated.

''Son-''

''You've betrayed **us!** Again!'' The Cardmaster shouted.

''Us?'' Rotclaw tilted his head. Realization didn't down upon him, it struck him, like lightning. ''Oh...'' the Seadog murmured, ears flattening. He knew exactly where this was going...

''She died! She died because of them! She died because of those treacherous, sinful monsters!''

''It was-''

''It was not an **accident**!'' The Cardmaster shrieked, voice crackling. He turned away for a moment, hunched over. ''Why can't you understand that?''

''Why can't _ye _understand?'' Rotclaw countered.

The Cardmaster wrinkled his snout in distaste, but lifted his ears anyway. Annoyed, he looked as if he too knew how this was going to go out; the two of them had been through the same argument for what seemed like billions of times before.

''The Skylanders are good people.''

''Sawsinskelp burnt to a crisp because of them! I had to step over the burning remains of our people! Barely any of us survived! They had to suffer because of the so-called Champions of the Skies! Burning is a slow and painful death; it's like torture. I heard Seadog screams from a mile away! They are not protectors, they are barbarians. No matter how many times you say that, I'll refuse to believe it. Good people wouldn't kill without reason."

"They never meant to harm all o' us.''

''You expect me to believe that they were only after Knifeteeth and his posse...and yet they destroyed everything! They practically missed their targets!'' The Cardmaster growled. ''I had to finish Knifeteeth and company off myself. But I say let them_ all_ rot in the very deepest depths of the Underworld for what they've done...They're all equally disgusting.''

''They were never after us. They were never after our family.'' Rotclaw continued. He heaved a sigh. ''They were never after fair Rosie...''

A deep growl built up in The Cardmaster's throat at the name.

''They were only after-''

''I don't care who they were trying to kill!'' The Cardmaster grabbed his father by his shoulders, claws digging into Rotclaw's uniform. ''They did what they did anyhow! And they've been doing it for years and getting off the hook for their crimes! Sure, once a pirate kills someone, they're instantly a coldblooded, heartless monster. But when a Skylander does it, oh, it's merry rejoice all around!" Breathing out to lessen his anger, he released his grip. ''Th-they're all so clueless. So very clueless. Just like you. Can't you see that you're on the wrong side, father?''

Rotclaw only looked down. He stuttered before he spoke. ''No.'' The Seadog slowly shook his head.

''Of course.'' The Cardmaster glowered icily at his father. ''After all they've done, you still see good in them. Unbelievable. My own father...against his own flesh and blood. You care more about them than you do your own offspring. It's just...sickening.''

''What?!'' Rotclaw exclaimed. ''T-that's not how it is at all!''

''I took you in, I cared for you, you were apart of the Esper. You were a real **pirate**.''

''You sent me away!''

''And now...This how you repay me? By helping the Skylanders?'' He was at a lost for words. ''W-wh-why them? You chose to help them over me. You're practically helping them defeat me! That's all they want. To defeat The Cardmaster.'' He gritted his teeth. ''To defeat me, Rotclaw!'' His eyes glowed their rageful white, furious streaks of purple around them as he hyperventilated through his teeth, like a madman. He flexed his claws, a dark aura spiraling around them as he seethed. The force around The Cardmaster's claws pulsed, turning darker and darker with every, hasty breath. ''**TO DEFEAT ME!**'' He roared.

''Halt!'' A mechanical voice called.

The Cardmaster's ears twitched. He slowly turned around to face the Skylanders. Eye narrowed, Magna Charge had been aiming directly at him. ''We will not allow you to harm Rotclaw.'' the Ultron finished.

With the quick lick of his chops, The Cardmaster returned his gaze back to normal as he stared at them. ''Harm?'' he questioned. With a mock laugh, he grinned at the Skylanders. ''Ultron, we're just having some father-son bonding time, that's all.'' After the snap of his fingers, a forcefield had engulfed the two Seadogs. ''What? Do you take me as a monster? Even I wouldn't hurt my own father.'' The Cardmaster patted Rotclaw on the head.

''This is getting weird.'' Wash Buckler muttered. ''So, if I'm hearing this correctly," He pointed at Rotclaw. "You're his dad?'' He gave The Cardmaster funny look. ''And you're his son?''

Rotclaw sighed. ''Aye...''

The Skylanders spoke unanimously.

''That _was_ in the book...''

''What?''

''Are you a wizard, Rotclaw?''

''What a twist!'' Hoot Loop commented, gaining some unamused looks from the others.

Wash Buckler stepped forward, scrunching up his face in puzzlement. ''But...but you're a nice pirate, like me, right?''

''It's...complicated.'' Rotclaw said. He could easily see that the Skylanders didn't exactly understand. If he was put in the same position as them, frankly, he wouldn't understand either. A friendly Seadog with absolutely no powers the father of a murderous criminal? Fat chance!

''Very.'' The Cardmaster nodded.

The Skylanders stared for a while, perplexed.

''Sooo, are we going to fight or what?'' Boom Jet asked.

''As I said, we are in the midst of father-son relationship.'' He curled his lip to flash his sharp teeth. Sternly, he added. ''So keep out of it, you strange-looking, furry man. All of you, go back to whatever it was you were doing.'' The Cardmaster flicked his paws in a shooing motion. ''Continue your putrid lives, go on.''

''Well, sorry to break it to you, but we're not leaving...until you leave.'' Wash Buckler stated, poking at the forcefield with his cutlass.

The Cardmaster gave a fake smile, ''Do whatever you wish.'' And with that, Wash Buckler walked back a little. The Cardmaster, with an approving nod, turned back to his father and started to whisper. Grabbing his father by his arms, he shook him. ''I'm doing the world a favor! You should be happy! Joyous, even! Skylands will have to suffer no more! I will be hero! A cherished hero, father! An avenger! And-'' He paused, ears twitching. The slight squeaking of paws had startled him, as Trap Shadow was outside of their domain, listening intently.

''What are you doing?'' The Cardmaster asked.

''Wash Buckler's orders. What does it look like? It's impossible not to eavesdrop when you're _whispering_ your evil plan like that. I expected more from you. You just sank down into Kaos Levels. Pitiful.''

''Silence, fool!'' The Cardmaster tried to claw at the feline, only to have his claws scratch against the surface of his forcefield.

''Fool...'' Trap Shadow echoed. ''What, are you going to start shaking your fist next?'' he responded with a satisfied smirk.

''Mange.'' Rotclaw called.

''Father, I'm trying to follow my canine instincts and kill this half-witted, psychedelic, claw-licking furball.'' The Cardmaster growled.

Trap Shadow snorted. ''Half-witted?''

''Mange...'' Rotclaw repeated.

The Cardmaster reluctantly turned away from Trap Shadow, baring his teeth. ''What is it? I was-'' The Cardmaster paused, for Rotclaw had placed his paw upon the Seadog's shoulder. The Cardmaster looked at him in puzzlement.

Rotclaw heaved a defeated sigh. ''Something is comin', something you're not prepared for, son.'' He looked directly into The Cardmaster's eyes. ''Yer biggest threat is yet t'come, Mange. I can feel it...in me bones. And they never lie.''

The Cardmaster looked as if he was about to respond, tongue twisting for the right words, but he simply closed his mouth instead. His fur prickled up, slightly, in what Rotclaw presumed to be fear. "Augh..." With the quick shake of his shaggy head, The Cardmaster brushed off his father's warning. "Whatever," he cast a disgusted look at the Skylanders, "I'll be ready for _their _attack."

"But will you be ready for the...Monster?!"

In an instant, The Cardmaster was attacked...

With tickles.

The Cardmaster threw his head back in a howl of loud laughter. Pushing up against the forcefield, he wriggled and writhed, swiping at the air. "Nu-n-nooo! St-hahaaha! St-stop! STOP!" The Cardmaster, pushing Rotclaw away, snapped his teeth together in derision. ''Stop that! And _you_ don't call me little captain! Don't ever call me little captain! Ever!'' With a snarl, The Cardmaster let down the forcefield. The Skylanders watched his every move, indecisive about attacking. Whirling around, The Cardmaster faced them with a curling, angry lip. Too furious for words, he stammered and stuttered things. Maybe he was building up something? Nope. He just kicked the floor, angrily. Clenching his fists, the Seadog shouted. ''I hate all of you! All of you! You hear me? Hate with a passion! A burning passion! A burning passion! A **burning** pass-''

The Skylanders groaned.

''We heard you the first time.'' Wash Buckler said. ''Repeating things doesn't make you any eviler.''

''It just makes you sound stupider.'' Grilla Drilla added.

The Cardmaster still continued to rant on, drooling. ''You're all going to die! No mercy! I will be there! I will watch you suffer! I will be the ones to stab you! Yes! YES! I am the Ultimate Portal Master! A Portal Master shall be your undoing! The irony!'' He snickered to himself, hammily. Perhaps he _was_ starting to act like Kaos...

Wash Buckler sighed. ''We get it; you're going to kill us. Stop it.''

''Yes!'' The Cardmaster raised his fists into the air as if he was on a ride, or at a rock concert. ''I will brutally murder-''

Gesturing for the others to get back inside, Wash Buckler cut him off with a wave. ''Bye, Cards.'' The Swaplanders returned to their dorm, turning their backs on the laughing maniac. Realizing that the Skylanders were gone, The Cardmaster looked to his father. With a growl of disgust, he pulled his cape over his face, hiding in the shadowy cloth like a mysterious magician. ''I am The Cardmaster...''

Rotclaw couldn't help but snicker at the comment. It sounded as if he was a pup again, playing a childish game of '_pretend_'. ''Are ye drunk, liddle one?''

''What?! What is this I am hearing?! You dare laugh at a Portal Master?!''

''No-no, I-I'm not laughing, pup...'' Rotclaw put a paw to his mouth. He bared his teeth in a grin. ''Nothing! Nothing!''

The Cardmaster snarled. ''You offend me.'' And with that, he slowly disappeared, leaving with only a lengthy growl.

* * *

''Stop that! You can't have any of them! Not yet, anyway. Like I said before, **no**. Hey, don't you snap at me!''

Trap Shadow was fishing. Or, at least, _trying_ to fish. It was a tad bit difficult while watching a Snapper victim at the same time. Multitasking was a Climbers' job, not a Sneakers' job. Wash Buckler and Spy Rise had, and, unfortunately, Trap Shadow did not. _I swear_, _Wash Buckler, if you weren't my leader, _the hunter thought, _I wouldn't even be wasting my time with this. _

The hunter was getting exceptionally moody about being on the Mongrel. Trap Shadow wasn't exactly keeping count, but it felt like weeks already. A caged tiger was never a good thing. How he longed to be in the wild! He missed having his paws tread along the dirt, he missed the musky aroma of prey, and he missed the taste of freshly killed game.

Fishing, though being quite the popular sport back in Cloudbreak, didn't have the same thrill of the hunt. A lethal predator didn't need to stand around all-day with a stick in his killer claws. And such a predator didn't need to be cooped up like a chicken on a little ship. ''And I definitely don't need to be watching a kit.'' Trap Shadow thought aloud.

Trap Shadow curled his lip back with a growl. ''Put that down...''

A dead fish dangled from Freeze Blade's paws, the Skylander playfully swaying it from side to side. Of course, he ignored his orders, vacantly staring at his catch. ''Pret-prett-pretty pony...'' he giggled.

Trap Shadow yanked the fish from icy claws. ''That's not for you. And it's not a pony, it's a fish.''

Realizing that his toy was gone, Freeze Blade growled, his back arched, fur rose, and eyelids twitched. Furiously, he slapped the fish from his teammate's grasp. ''Me and...we-we were playing with that!"

''Who's w-''

Still angry, Freeze Blade threw some of the caught fish out into the sea.

Deciding not to waste any more of his time, the hunter simply clawed at his eyes. ''Ugghhh...'' A growl rumbled loudly in his throat. ''You're even more of a nuisance than before.'' Freeze Blade was starting to get better at talking, or at least it seemed like it. Well, better by sounding like a malfunctioning robot, that is. He didn't seem to be in much pain, and he didn't seem like he wanted to kill them, or himself, either. He was just acting...weird. Weirder than usual Freeze Blade standards.

A lone, deep bellow from beneath had cut him off. A rather big shadow lurked under the sea, still vocalizing. Huge jaws engulfed the tiny fish with an audible chomp.

''Huh?'' With a tilted head, Trap Shadow looked at the ominous blot of darkness below. ''...What is that?''

Rotclaw, after stopping the Mongrel, sidled up beside him with a hearty chuckle. ''Well, would you look at that? A whale!'' He whistled in amazement. ''That's a big one! Giant, even! A liddle oddly shaped...but still beautiful, nonetheless. '' Resting his head in his paws, Rotclaw sighed. ''Pleasin' to me ol' eyes...Ever seen anythin' like it, Trap Shadow?''

''Surprisingly, I have...'' Trap Shadow answered. That was no normal whale. _Incognito? Yeah, right. Geez, people like you aren't supposed to be Sneakers. Any one could see you! _Before he could jeer at the familiar figure, a powerful spurt of water jetted up from the whale's blowhole, soaking everyone on deck. Immediately, Trap Shadow hissed and spat in contempt. Unlike Freeze Blade, water was definitely not the hunter's cup of tea. The Magic Skylander clawed at air in rage. ''I swear-''

The whale seemed to laugh, a really, really deep rumble of amusement.

Rotclaw joined along with it, chuckling. ''Woo-hoo-hoo!'' The Seadog only howled in absolute enjoyment. ''I needed that!''

Trap Shadow rose a brow at the madman. _That_ was fun? Being drenched in saltwater was fun? With a wrinkled snout, Trap Shadow ripped a starfish from his face. ''**I** didn't need that.''

Grinning, Rotclaw wrapped a tight arm around the saber's neck. ''Ever since you lads got into me life, I've had tons o' fun!"

"That's nice, captain."

"I haven't had such fun since...'' And then the Seadog paused. His eyes stared off into nothingness.

"Uh, captain?"

"..._that_ day."

"Captain? What are you staring at? Captain Rotclaw?"

* * *

_A golden sun shone through the puffy clouds of the day, __casting its radiance down to the earth and through the trees. Orange and amber leaves twirled like dainty pixies in the cool breeze. Wide-eyed critters skittered across the forest floor and birds twittered high up in their branches, and a little Seapup, Mange, was on the prowl, yipping in excitement._

_Fall had made its grand appearance, ridding the dog days of summer with fickle zephyr and lively leaves. It had been the perfect day for fun; it wasn't too cold, and it wasn't scorching either. Laughing, Mange frolicked, charging into leafpiles like a battering ram. Peeking his head up from a cumulus of foliage, the Seapup pouted out a black lip. ''C'mon, Pa! You gotta keep up! You just gotta!''_

_Huffing and puffing, Rotclaw trudged, moving like that of a lazy sloth. He shook his head. __''Everythin's always such a hurry with ye liddle tykes.'' With a stretch of audible cracking, he yawned and licked at his chops. ''Why not take everythin' in? Look at the sights, sniff at the smells...'' _

_''Papaaaa!'' Mange threw leaves amuck when he flailed his arms, wildly. ''We're supposed ta be sparrin'! Like the others! Slitear swordfights with his Pa all the time! An' he—he's a week younger than me!'' _

_''Alright, alright.'' Rotclaw waved a claw. Mange had been ecstatic about swordfighting ever since he found out that he was the only one in Sawsinskelp that didn't know how. Of course, that was an exaggeration, but he wasn't quite far off. Most pups learned how to fend themselves rather early, usually around _eight weeks of age, sometimes even younger. Mange would need to be taught one day, sooner or later. However, it was not Rotclaw, or Rosemary, who made that call. Today, like a youngster on the morning of Christmas, their pup had clambered onto their bed, barking up a storm. Mange had practically dragged the two of them out of bed, sending Rosemary off on some 'adventure', as he said, for his favorite fish at the marketplace and pushing Rotclaw into the woods. __

__Springing from the leaves, Mange scrambled over to his dad. ''C'mon, c'mon! I wanna fight!'' __

__''Ye really want to fight, lad?'' __

__''Yep!''__

__''I mean, you already 'ave mag-''__

__''I'm sure!''__

__''But Master Eon is teachin' ye how to-''__

__Mange tugged on his father's shirt. ''Please, please, please, Poppa, I just fight for a while! Not for that long! Just a few seconds!''__

__''Hmm...'' Rotclaw pulled a mock face of pondering. Rubbing his chin, he showed a sly smile. ''Yore certain, lad?'' __

__''Yes, yes, yes!'' Mange jumped up and down. ''I wanna swordfight!''__

__''Truly?''__

__With a howl, Mange threw his arms up. __''**TRULY!**''__ Baring his growing, nubby teeth, the Seapup gave a barrage of punches to the air. ''So I can beat up all the bullies in Skylands!'' He looked up at Rotclaw with big eyes, bright with determination, and clutched his father's shirt with firm claws. ''I. Wanna. Swordfight.'' __

__Rotclaw smiled. When Mange wanted something, he absolutely **desired **it. He never wanted it later, he always wanted it **NOW**. ''Yore just like me when I was a young lad.'' he rubbed his son's head, ruffling fur. ''____Alright, alright, liddle captain, ye've won me over, stop yer doll eyes and yer quiverin' lip. We'll swordfight, spar, fence, tussle, whatever ye wish to call it.''__

__Ears pricked, Mange let out a loud yip. ''Yessss!'' Putting a paw to his mouth, he quieted himself. ''I-I mean...____Arggh!'' he adorned a heavy, pirate accent and curled up a finger, making it appear like a hook. ____''That's Captain Mange the First, to ye, missie-creant!'' __

__Rotclaw heartily chuckled at the pup's misspelling. ''Oh, of course. How dare I? Aye aye, Captain Mange the First! 'Tis what I meant.'' Shaking his head and snickering in amusement, he quickly pulled a magnificent sword from his belt. He raised it to the sky, waving it around like a wizard casting a spell. Bright sunlight smiled down upon the polished blade. ____Mange practically drooled in utter excitement. Eyes widening, the pup reached a tenetive paw out. __

__''Ah, ah, ah,'' Rotclaw waggled a finger, ''This is not fer young uns, like yerself. Too pointy and poky; yer liddle pup paws'll get 'urt, and I can't 'ave that happenin'.'' __

__Mange frowned. ''It's not...'' he pointed to himself. ''It's not for me?''__

__''Uh-uh!'' Animatedly, Rotclaw shook his head, looking as if it could swing off at any given moment. ''Definitely not. Nope, nosiree! I've got sumthin' else for me favorite pup o' all time.''__

__''Something bigger?'' __

__Rotclaw smirked at him again before barking, ''Sumthin' better! 'Tis a surprise!'' __

__''A surprise!'' Mange yipped. ''I like surprises! What is it? What is it?''__

__''Me boy,'' Rotclaw laughed, ''it won't be a surprise if I show you with yer eyes open.''__

__''Awww...'' Mange whined, ears drooped.__

__''Go ahead, close those eyes o' yers. Close 'em, cover 'em____! Hey, no peekin', ye filthy rapscallion!'' __

__''Awwwww...'' the pup repeated. Subdued, he finally closed, and covered, his eyes, with no peeking whatsoever.__

__Rotclaw nodded. ''Good, good, just keep doin' that.'' He gave Mange a quick glance, just to make sure, before putting a paw on his belt. ''I'm about to show you...'' Touching the hilt of a dagger, he said in a tiny whisper. ''The greatest weapon in the world...'' Rotclaw slid the weapon from out of its sheath, and held it in his paws. It was rather...small. In his gnarled claws, it looked like the really, really tiny baby of a sword and a knife. Had it shrunk since the last time he used it? Well, he had used it when he was pup...and that **was **the last time he'd ever really used it. Shrugging the blade's size off, Rotclaw continued. ''This weapon, this glorious, breathtaking, weapon, has the power of all of the Giants put into one...times two.''__

__''Cool...'' Wonder-struck, Mange emitted a little coo. __

__''Aye, this weapon was crafted by the greatest Portal Masters in the world. It's said to be built from the strongest substance in Skylands: Traptainium. With this, you are practically...'' Rotclaw waved a paw for show, staring off into the distance. ''Invincible...''__

__''Cooool!''__

__''Now, hold out yer paws, lad. Brace yerself for ultimate power!'' __

__Immediately, Mange followed, twitching with anticipation.__

__Rotclaw let out a short laugh, but quickly shut his mouth with gritted sharp teeth. Getting a hold of himself, he shook his head, carefully dropped the weapon into his son's paws. ''Behold...____**The Dagger**!'' __

__Squealing, Mange opened his eyes, gazed down, and twisted his face into utter unamusement. ''Dad, this is kitchen knife.'' His voice was like that of stone.__

__''Whaaa?'' Incredulously, Rotclaw put his paws onto his head. ''No, no, no, no,'' he shook his head, ''that's not a kitchen knife! That_—that_ is the most powerful weapon ever created! This is The Dagger! Used in combat against The Darkness! Able to skin the evilest o' Fire Vipers! Feared by the most formidable o' Drow! This can destroy armies in one, single slash, lad!''__

__Mange only stared, looking sulky and sullen. Holding the knife upside down with two fingers, he grimaced. ''Really?''__

__''Well, okay, ye got me.'' Rotclaw admitted. ''So, maybe, it isn't so magical. Maybe it can't do anything against the dark forces. But it is special! Ye know what that is, me laddie?''__

__''A kitchen knife.''__

__''It's my first weapon: a dagger.''__

__''Not **The** Dagger?''__

__Rotclaw snickered. ''No, this is what me pops gave me when I was yer age. The dagger ye hold in yer very paws was used in battles against the most dastardly o' pirates!''__

__Mange was automatically interested. ''Like who?'' he asked, ears twitching. __

__''Well, me ol' grandfather, Captain Bonnybeard; you remember when I told ye about him right? Had one o' the most renowned beard in all of Skylands? He was a great pirate, fought the scurvy Spitestache the Skeleton with this dagger. Hehah! Cut the side of the bloke's phantom whickers **clean** off in one slash, he did!''__

__''Spitestache? That name...Master Eon told me about him!'' ____Eyes sparkling with amazement, Mange put a paw to his mouth and gasped. ''H-his mustache?!''__

__Rotclaw sliced the air with a claw. ''Woosh! Hehhe, aye, the mustache. T'was the only thing keeping 'im so powerful. That wally fled back to the Isle o' the Dead with 'is demon army, like a pup. That dagger was passed down to me, like the rest o' my family when they were young uns. They used it in many, many battles! And now...it is yours.''__

__Mange suppressed an amazed whine. ''Whoa...But, Poppa, isn't this a little dangerous?'' He eyed the blade, which was stained and scratched, but its apex still glowed like a diamond. ''I mean, Momma doesn't like me handlin' sharp stuff. She doesn't even let me cut my own food. I've never been this close to something so knife-y before!''__

__Rotclaw tensed. He hadn't even told her their plans when she left for the marketplace. Perhaps it was for the best; if she knew her precious pup was using a weapon, Rotclaw would probably be six feet underground. Beneath all of that loving sweetness was an unstoppable force to be reckoned with, like every other mother in the world. Rosemary, though the very cute and dainty she-beard, came from a place of burglars, crooks, bandits and a whole lot of traitorous nasties, all across Skylands. She was not entirely fond of using swords and other 'pointy things'; Rosie simply used her fisticuffs. A blow from those fluffy paws would leave something completely the opposite of 'cute'. She was a true fighter to the end. __

__''On second thought..." Rotclaw quickly grabbed the dagger from Mange's paws and sheathed his sword. "Let's use something...less pointy. Like, um...Sticks!"__

__Mange drew his head back. ''Sticks?"__

__"____Aye!" Rotclaw answered cheerily. "Sticks! When me and yer mother were pups we used to fight with sticks all the time!" He placed a gnarled stick in his pup's paws. ____"Swords, sticks, they're not that different, ye know." __

__After giving his new weapon a funny look, Mange smiled up at his father. "I guess so!"__

__"Righto, me boy." Rotclaw picked up a stick of his own. "Now that that's out o' the way..." Shaking his muscles loose, joggling, Rotclaw barked. "C'mon, laddie, let us fight like real men! Like real pirates!" The Seadog slashed at the air with his stick. "En gar-"__

__"Hi-yah!" Before he could finish, Mange dealt his father a whole barrage of blows, just about everywhere. __

__"Yow!" Rotclaw gave a yip with every attack. "Ooh! Eech!" Dropping his weapon, he held out his paws in surrender. "Wai-wait! Wait a second! Ow!"__

__Mange eventually stopped, panting, the wildest of grins on his face. "Did I do good, Poppa?"__

__"Ooo..." Rubbing a bump on his head, Rotclaw gave his son a look of surprise. "Well, ye certainly did sumthin'. Go easy on yer ol' pop; I-I'm not as spry as ye. Truth be told, that was a nice surprise attack. But, I can't have ye go attackin' enemies willy nilly now, can I? Listen 'ere and listen well." Every detail seldom went unnoticed as the Seadog rambled. "...Ye've got to maneuver yerself out of yer enemy's range. Swords and sticks are similar, but one hurts a lot more than the other. Footwork is important, gotta be precise! Move those feet, pup, move 'em! Yes, there we are. See me? This is a lunge, a move every liddle sparer's got t'know. Look at me paws! Keep yer eyes on me! Ye never know when a feint attack will strike! Very good! Haha, I think ye've just about got it! Mange, eyes alert! Ears perked! That's the ticket! Got it now, liddle cap'n? Wait, what're ye staring at?"__

__"Bird!" In the indicated direction, Mange pointed. "There's a big, fat pheasant in the bushes!"__

__Now, Rotlclaw was the one with alert eyes and perked ears. A big, fat pheasant sounded nice; fish was starting to get quite boring. And when a Seadog thought fish was old, it really meant that fish was getting old. "Really?" His attention was immediately adverted, all thought of sparing with his son had been lost. Which wasn't the brightest of things he'd ever do...__

__"Feint attack!" __

__To be honest, Rotclaw didn't even knew what hit him. How Mange was able to knock the wind out of him, he didn't understand. At all. Was Mange that strong?Collapsing down to the leaf-strewn ground, he fell prey for his attacker. "OOF!" A powerful paw stomped on his chest. Yes, Mange **was** that strong. ____"Augh! Ye liddle demon!" Through a bout of laughter, he lifted the puppy up. "Trickster!"__

__"Haha!" Mange cheered, victoriously. "I win!"__

__Sitting upright, Rotclaw snickered and placed the pup in his lap. ''I guess ye did, devil. But...Oh no. Do ye hear that, son?" __

__Mange tilted his head. ____"What is it, Poppa?"__

__"It's...**THE CLOUD KRAKEN!**" Instantly, wiggling fingers, or 'tentacles', leapt into action. __

__"Aaaah!" Mange squealed. "Hahaha!" He was a tiny snake in his father's grasp, twisting and turning. "St-stop!''__

__"'Hissss!" But Rotclaw did not stop. The sound of his son's happy yips was like music to his ragged ears. Such fun, this was! He couldn't help barking a laugh himself, but quickly reformed to keep character, and did it evilly. ''Ahahah!" Gently, he nipped at Mange's tummy, poking him with his snout. ''____Om nom nom nom nom nom!"__

__"Nu-noooo!" Mange howled. "Don't!"__

__Before 'the Kraken' could wreak anymore havoc, a rustle sounded from the bushes, and it wasn't a pheasant. ____Instead, it was his fair wife, Rosemary. A large net of slimy, dripping fish had been slung over her shoulders. Back rising up and down, she panted. __

__"Honey!" Rotclaw jumped up, holding Mange by his side like simple, squirming luggage. The gold in his mouth gleamed as he smiled. "Ah, I suppose that's spoils fer the victor: moi!" __

__"You?" Mange flailed his paws. "I won, fair and square!"__

__"Did not!" __

__"Did do!"__

__Rosemary swiped sweat from her brow. "Well, I reckon I missed all the excitement. What 'appened, boys?"__

__Rotclaw strode up to Rosemary, casual and cool. "Just some father son time, fair Mary." Nose twitching, his eyes squinted at the net the Seamaid was carrying. "Yeesh! Where'd ye get those, marm? The flippin' Stinky Swamp?" That definitely wasn't the usual briny scent of fish.__

__"Well," Rosemary humped indignantly, "as a matter of fact, Rotclaw, these came from there."__

__"Ah, I was gonna guess the sewers next, but me ol' sniffer proved otherwise. Ain't that the place with the big, karate skunk?"__

__"Ninjutsu. And the skunk hasn't been there in years. You remember hearing about that incident in Cloudbreak when we were pups? That poor fella was in the explosion. So...no more skunk."__

__"Cooool!" Mange awed. With a little yip, he tugged on his father's clothes. "Stink Bomb! He's a Skylander! Er...was. But he's still awesome!"__

__Rosemary dropped the sack of smelly fish. "The nice gentlemen at the shores were selling these and-"__

__Rotclaw interjected with a soft growl. "Nice gentlemen, 'ey?"__

__Rosemary, ignoring her husband's comment, continued. "They had a bunch of other varieties. But, we've never had swamp fish be-"__

__"Nice gentlemen?"__

__Rosemary shook her head in disbelief, paw to brow. "They never even touched a single strand of my 'air, you slobberin' guard dog? Satisfied?"__

__"Satisfied."__

__"As I was saying...They were sellin' these swamp fish for only a few doubloons! This is a lot...maybe even enough to ration to the whole town!"__

__Rotclaw only curled his lips in a cringe. "I don't think I'll be able to bite into that, not with that smell lingerin' there. Nosiree! Have to plug me snozz before I even lick one of those things! The rest of the town can 'ave that stinkin' mess."__

__"Och! Oh, is that so? And all along I thought I married a pirate, not a wee, complaining pup."__

__Shocked, Rotclaw started to sputter. "W-wee? Complainin'? Pup? I'm not a pup, I'm not complainin', and I'm definitely not wee, as you say!"__

__''You're complaining right now!"__

__"Now yore just teasin'..."__

__Mange only laughed at their bickering. Wiggling out of his father's grasp, he wrapped his little arms around his mother. __

__Rosemary giggled softly. "Rascal! You've grown a few inches; you'll be a big, scurvy pirate in no time!" She lifted her son into the air, shaking him from side to side, which made him squeal with excitement. "My little sunshine!" Sweetly, she bumped her snout to his. __

__"I had the BESTEST day ever, Momma!" Mange proclaimed. "I used a sword!"__

__Accusingly, Rosemary narrowed her ivy eyes down to slits. "Rottie..."__

__Rotclaw flinched at her gaze. "T'was...sticks! We were only usin' sticks, marm!"__

__"Stick swords!" Mange added. __

__"Well...I guess that's good enough for me." Rosemary shrugged. She turned around, starting to leave, until a hoarse cough scratched her throat. __

__"Oooh," Rotclaw mused, "that sounds bad. Are you alright, Rosie?"__

__His wife, after clearing her throat, gave a dismissive wave. "I'm fine, you lily-liver. It's nothing; I-I'm sure. Just a cough, Rottie, don't you worry. Now, c'mon boys. Let's go make some swamp vittles!"__

* * *

Eyes clouded, ears flattened, Rotclaw stifled a whimper. He knew something was up with fair Rosemary from the start; he knew she was sick. But, the poor lass just didn't believe him. Hailing from the boonies, Rosemary had been a streetrat for just about all of her puphood. Even with all the icky disease in such unruly conditions, she, apparently, had never gotten sick in her life. Pups had to live rough; it was a Seadog-eat-Seadog world in Cloaken Daggah. Kill or be killed was practically the law of the land. Unfortunately, her barbaric core was not adapted to Sawsinskelp. The safe haven for all pirates, like herself, ultimately ended up being her downfall.

Rotclaw could've stopped this.

If they had just stayed in Cloaken Daggah, maybe she never would've gotten sick. Yes, then, she wouldn't have died. A lump in his throat, Rotclaw took a shaky breath. This was all his doing. He told her about how great Sawsinskelp was, how amazing it was, how she would love it...

Blinded by hot tears, Rotclaw balled his claws into fists. "If I had just kept me mouth shut..." he muttered through gritted teeth.

"Rotclaw? Captain? Are you alright?"

Rotclaw's ears sprang erect at the sound of a concerned rumble from Trap Shadow. Immediately and hastily, Rotclaw wiped his eyes; it was never good for a pirate to be seen crying. He struggled a small smile onto his face. "It's nothing, lad." At that word, his pupils dilated.

Nothing.

That cursed word. He felt sick all of a sudden; as soon as he said it, a lump gathered in his throat. "I'm f-fine." he choked out. 'Nothing' was ever fine. "It's just..."

With a hardened face, Trap Shadow stared the captain down. "I can sense Seadog—" he took a quick sniff of the air—"and depression. Like that of a wet dog." The hunter rose a blue brow in mock suspicion. "Could it be you?"

Rotclaw just kept his head low, refusing to make eye contact with the Skylander. "Mayhaps..." he sighed out. Passengers had never seen him like this, as he usually went to the absolute bottom of the ship to slake his sadness.

Trap Shadow would be the absolute first to see the captain cry. "I heard everything, you know. About your family. And what happened."

"So ye did..."

"Yeah, you were...kind of murmuring stuff. During that flashback."

"Oh..." Rotclaw flicked an ear in surprise. With a quick sniffle, he stared curiously at Trap Shadow. "H-how'd you-"

"A magician never reveals his secrets." Trap Shadow said with a sly wink.

"Makes sense..." Rotclaw nodded a little. He kept his gaze only on the seas and nothing more. "I 'pose..."

"Yep..."

"Aye..."

After an excruciatingly long silence, Rotclaw just couldn't contain his thoughts anymore. "She grew febrile. But it was nothing. She grew frail and weak. But it was nothing." He blinked away the beads that gathered in his eyes, wincing at the pricking pain. "She went up in flames. She **died**." He lowered his head. A stream of tears trickled down his snout, dripping from his nose and falling into the depths below. "And I guess..." he bit his lip, fangs almost perforating through dark flesh. It was an absolute struggle to let the words escape. He crinkled his face in toil. "...that was just nothing, too."

Trap Shadow blinked at him, like a robot trying to comprehend something. He opened his mouth, several times, but only turned his head away to find the right words. He sighed, a rumble that reverberated from the walls of his throat. Was he distressed, too? The sabertooth rubbed at the nap of his neck. "Listen, Rotclaw, I'm in no way a therapist, or whatever, but sometimes...things happen that we're just not controllable of. It can be that of a simple stumble or a giant sea monster that attacks your ship. Or a volcano explosion that gets you trapped with the biggest idiots in the whole world!" He snickered, only to realize that the captain wasn't exactly laughing with him and, awkwardly, stopped his mirth by clearing his throat. "Point is, Captain Rotclaw, fate is a fickle mistress. There was a saying back in my tribe..." He rose a finger. "Life's like trying to bring down a Boghog. You can grab it by the horns with your claws and take control, or you can fall and have it trample all over you."

"It's just that...I-I could've done something. Anything!" Rotclaw exhaled through his nose. Growling and groaning, he was practically crushing his head with his claws, anguished. "I was so stupid! I left her! All alone!"

"Grief is good..." Trap Shadow dipped his head. "Grief is great! However, beating yourself down over one, single uncontrollable event is not." With a soft growl, he added. "As Stink Bomb would say, after so nicely ruining to air and our precious nostrils, 'accidents happen'. Although, he never really means that, as his 'accidents' are nearly always on purpose, with that smug smile of his..." He shook his head, stopping his ramble. Trap Shadow turned to Freeze Blade, who was just licking at a fish. "Hey, Freeze, is Rosemary here?"

Freeze Blade blinked, as slow as a turtle. Raising to his legs, he swaggered to the side of the captain. One ear up, the other flopped, the Frost Feline leaned onto the Seadog. "Man..." Drool trickled from the corner of his mouth. He rested a limp arm around Rotclaw. "M-m..." Freeze Blade mumbled. He pried the captain's paw open and placed a fish in his palm. Forcing the furry hand into a tight fist, he finished with a gurgle. "Manny is here..."

"Ehh, it's Mary, but-" Trap Shadow started.

"Rosemary..." Rotclaw gave a weak smile, a little line that quivered across his mouth. It was true. Rosemary would never come back. She was dead. Kaput. His wife burnt to death in the comfort of her own home. But she was only gone, not forgotten. She never would be forgotten. Squeezing the fish that the Frost Feline had gifted him, with a puffed chest, he looked up at the skies. Taking a deep breath, he placed the slimy morsel to his heart. "...is here." Slowly, Rotclaw turned to Trap Shadow, who nodded at him. "Thank you. Thank you, Trap Shadow. I really needed that. You are a great friend, Skylander, and the best cat I've ever met." He patted Freeze Blade's head. "You too, crazy."

"Ah, my credentials." Trap Shadow curved his mouth, happily. "I'm glad to be of service, Captain Rotclaw. I'm a Skylander, and helping people is what I d-"

"Gaaah!" A shrill squeak had interrupted the sabertooth.

Flicking an ear, Trap Shadow bared his teeth in a low chuckle. "One...two...three..."

The door to the Swappers' dorm had bust open. Stink Bomb, with a small Spyder drone attached to his face, scrambled out of the room. The others followed, slowly, most startled or amused, maybe even a little intrigued and concerned.

While everyone else stared, Fire Kraken ran to the rescue. "H-hold up! I've got your back, buddy! Er...face!"

"Spy Rise," Wash Buckler turned to the Techie with a judging look, "what'd you do?"

The Spyder showed a sheepish smile. "I was trying to fix it; it was a dud. Perhaps...he provoked the drone." He shrugged with a little laugh. "Somehow?"

"How?"

"Somehow!"

"He was sleeping! We were all sleeping!"

"It was past time for us to wake up; I might've added an alarm system."

"An alarm that jumps onto your face?!"

"Maybe..."

"Oh...well, I guess, that's kind of useful." Wash Buckler stroked his mustache, in deep thought. "Yeah, we need more of those..."

"**GET IT OFF!**" Stink Bomb squirmed and screamed on the floor. "**SPY RISE!**"

"**AHAHAHA!**" Trap Shadow laughed, completely out loud; it sounded more like a brutish roar rather than a regular chuckle. "Aw, c'mon Stinks!" he shouted in between cynical snickers. "Fight it!"

"Are ya hurt?" Fire Kraken, undecided on what to do, circled around the skunk. "Are ya?"

Stink Bomb yelled at him. "It's ruining my **FACE!**"

Trap Shadow was totally enjoying the torture of his teammate. "Your face was already ruined to begin with! Fire Kraken, just slam the thing down! It won't do that much harm; he's got a flat face anyway!"

Fire Kraken, seriously considering the action, asked, "Are ya sure?"

"Sure I'm sure!"

Before Stink Bomb could even get a say in the matter, a sparkler staff slammed down onto his face. With a yelp, Stink Bomb stuck his limbs, and tail, up like a dead cockroach.

"I got it!" Fire Kraken whooped.

Laughing once more, Trap Shadow gave the Kraken a round of applause. "Good job!"

Eventually, Stink Bomb went flat. "Ow..." he squeaked out. Destroyed, the drone slowly slid off his face and whirred in defeat. Fire Kraken, helpful as always, lifted the skunk up.

"Aw, man. It's dead.'' Wash Buckler frowned.

Spy Rise put a hand on his leader's shoulder. "Ah, no worries, I have m-"

"NO!" Stink Bomb interrupted. "No more!"

"Augh, don't listen to him, Spydey." Trap Shadow said with a little scoff. "That was a absolute brilliant idea! What fun!"

Stink Bomb stared at his fellow Sneaker in disbelief, sputtering. "F-fun?! That wasn't fun!''

Trap Shadow nudged Rotclaw and gave him a quick wink. ''Watch this, Captain Rotclaw. Closely..." he smirked, slyly. Rotclaw tilted his head. What was that cat planning? Trap Shadow, snickering, turned back to his favorite skunk. "Oh, of course, it wasn't fun. It was fun**ny**!"

Stink Bomb stomped forward. "Funny?! That was funny?!"

Unfazed, Trap Shadow went forward as well. "Quite.''

Angrily, Stink Bomb slapped the hunter's paw away. ''Well, from my point of view it was not funny!''

Trap Shadow just smiled, like a bad guy. Was he just...purposefully trying to tick the skunk off? From the looks of Stink Bomb's bristling tail, that didn't seem like a very wise idea. Turning his head away, Trap Shadow coughed, "Fartist.''

''Bucktooth."

''Roadkill.''

Stink Bomb yanked Trap Shadow's bandana. ''Kittycat."

Trap Shadow shoved the skunk. "Mutant."

''Furball."

''Flatface."

''OP."

"Weakling."

''S-stripes!"

''We both have stripes, bonehead."

"Ugh! This is exactly why you aren't apart of the Trap Team!" Fuming, quite literally, Stink Bomb lashed his shaking tail. "Trap Shadow, so help me, I will let loose right in your freaking..." He began to mutter aggressively to himself. ''I'm gonna spray him. I'm gonna spray him. I'm gonna spray him. I'm so gonna spray him!"

''You spray me,'' Trap Shadow drew out a silver blade from its sheath on his back, ''I skin you."

Stink Bomb gnashed and ground his teeth at the comment. He pounded a fist into his open palm. ''Get some."

Wash Buckler stepped in, like always. Blocking the two with his hands, he pushed them back. "Woah, woah, woah, dudes. Let's be nice shipguests here.''

''He started it!" Stink Bomb pointed a finger. ''I wasn't-" Before he could protest, the skunk relaxed, as Fire Kraken started to massage his back. Looking as if he could crumble down at any moment, Stink Bomb closed his eyes and purred. "Ooo..." His leg, rapidly, began to thump against the floor. "That's...nice..."

Trap Shadow looked rather satisfied with himself. ''We were just kidding, Buck. No harm done. Right, Stinks?"

Stink Bomb was on the verge of collapsing into a sleeping bundle of green fur. "Mhmm-mhm..." he answered like a sloth.

"And you forgive me, right?"

"What...? Oh...yeah...''

Trap Shadow winked once more at Rotclaw. "And families forgive, right Stinks?"

His only reply was a nasally snore.

"Dude, why do you sound like an educational program?" Wash Buckler nudged him in the shoulder.

Trap Shadow shrugged. "Just...reasons.''

"Lookit you, being all clammy again, just like in the old days." Wash Buckler laughed. He soon realized that Trap Shadow was gesturing to Rotclaw, the hunter's head budging to the Seadog's location. "Oh, and Rotclaw, I forgot to tell you this..." The Mermasquid tipped his hat at the captain. "Welcome to the family, dude." Slinging his tentacles to the side, he leapt upon a barrel, high and mighty. Pumping a fist into the air, waving his cutlass about, and smiling, he shouted. "**#SWAPFORCE! #SWAPFORCE!**"

His teammates humored him with a rallying call in response. "**#YOMAMA! #YOMAMA!**"

At that very moment, a smirk flittered across Rotclaw's old, grizzled face. No, not a smirk, a smile. A grin of gleaming golden teeth glimmered in his mouth like the stars. Now, he didn't quite know what hashtags were, and why mothers were involved in their cheer, but he did know something: The SWAP Force certainly weren't just ordinary passengers anymore.

With a sudden rush of empowerment that exploded in his heart, the Seadog dashed to the wheel. Giddily, he howled, "Ye ol' crazy kooks! Hahahah!"

Maybe, just maybe, they were bit like family.

* * *

An inky black sky had covered the entire canvas of the Outlands. Starless, the frigid night was only like a jumbled blot of shadows. Naturally, when the sun set over in The Pit, the fiery sky morphed into a drab mess, as it was practically the refuge for The Darkness and all things unruly and despicable. The evil, billowing shadows shrouded the heavens, and just about everything else. Like ghastly ghosts in a graveyard, the tendrils of pure, concentrated evil passed through every night.

Sitting in a slouch, Pyralis watched as the dark gas slithered across the ground, absentmindedly. It had been a rather, mundane, boring, utterly lifeless day. Like always, prey was extremely scarce in the Outlands; the best a dragon could find there was a decrepit, burrowing rodent. With hundreds of mouths to feed in the clan, there was barely enough for everyone. The richer, satisfying morsels were only in the main areas of Skylands. But even then, traveling long lengths to everywhere in Skylands didn't seem to be doing much. The hunters had definitely had better days, for bringing home fluffy, bleating morsels deemed useless. Such little game was the only thing filling their stomachs. All they needed was for the heat to die down, as the Peak dragons sent over patrols like no tomorrow. The Pit Dragons' protection was simply the gobs of lies spewing through their bloodstained teeth.

''We would never harm another dragon,'' Pyralis had said, ''we would never harm one of your allies, fellow brethren. We are just hungry. So very, very hungry.''

Pleading forgiveness would not work for long. Eventually, without the proper guidance from Vathek, they'd be extinct in the next blink of an eye. Everyone had hoped the Peak Dragons would be kind enough to drop off some food, being the intolerable, lowly rats they were. Pyralis, however, wanted nothing to do with them. Dragons that dined on petty game, like mutton, were weak; those who feasted on a more exotic variety, like Gillmen, foxes, and Mabu, were stronger. Peak dragons roasted all their meals, while the Pit dragons preferred things raw. Why burn something down to a crisp? Peak dragons wasted the guts, bones, and fur, while Pit dragons ate the entire thing, like good dragons. Pyralis didn't want to change the way of the **true** dragon; King Vathek wouldn't want it that way. The blood of the sentient proved powerful, as it was a much more wholesome diet. Barbaric, perhaps, but it was simply the way of the dragon.

''They better be here soon...'' Pyralis huffed. Unlike the others, who were all peacefully sleeping in the warm tunnels, he was out freezing. Without his guard armor for warmth, the big dragon was petrified by the daunting temperature. Luckily, he wasn't alone in the torturous mess of shadows. "This is an absolute wreck!"

Frigor, his sister, lay beside him. The two were complete opposites; one was an irascible, big Fire Dragon and the other was a lighthearted, small Ice Dragoness. With snowy scales and bright eyes, Frigor was a gem. She was crowned with icicles for bitty horns, topped off like a sundae with a sharp, dangerous-looking point at the end of her tail. The little one almost appeared crystalized with lunar light shining down on her strange hide.

''What's the hurry?'' Frigor nudged her big brother with a cold snout. ''It feels nice out here.'' She spoke with a soft voice.

Pyralis froze at the sharp sting that seared single patch of his scales. He was used to his sister's freezing touch, but with the weather condition, it felt like a new level of gelidity. Pyralis lifted his lips in a shudder. ''Only to you...'' he said through chattering teeth.

With gleaming teeth, Frigor smiled. ''Oh, wow!'' Her attention was abruptly adverted to the sky. ''Look at that!''

''Wh-what?'' Pyralis, alerted, looked up and about. ''What do you see, sister? Have the Stalkers arrived?'' The big, red dragon wore a mask of alarm. ''Is it the Skylanders?!''

Frigor leaned on her big brother. Gazing at him with shimmery, silver eyes, she whispered, ''The moon...''

Pyralis stared at her as if she had grown an unicorn horn. ''The...moon?'' he asked with uncertainty. Like a polished sickle, it hung in the sky, as luminous as it could be; even The Darkness hadn't been obscuring its glow.

''I've never seen it so...'' Frigor purred. With a frozen claw, she reached up, as if to touch the crescent. ''...bright.''

''Yes, yes, it's very beautiful.'' Pyralis sighed, smoke puffing from his nostrils. He stopped himself from rolling his eyes. Frigor saw beauty in absolutely everything, good or evil. Her ways made her very...unlikeable in the eyes of other Pit Dragons. She was the only frost-breathing dragon of the clan, which just added to her list of flaws. Inexperienced, untrained, and quite the timid one, Frigor was practically just frostbitten slab of meat for her clanmates to snap at. Pyralis turned to her with a little snort. His sister was utterly awestricken, almost breathless as she gaped. Pyralis shook his head. A dragon was supposed to be a coldblooded, cruel, calculating killer! Earnestly, the only thing keeping her alive was Pyralis, as fighting an angered royal guard like him would be a death wish. Luckily, the old hag Apep kept a close eye on her while Pyralis was away; leaving such a frail child around hundreds of hungry brutes wouldn't be smart.

''I love it...''

''I know you do, sister.''

''Do you love it, too?''

''Yes, sister.''

Frigor gasped. Shambling her feet, the dragoness flapped her wings. ''I should get a better l-'' Before she could lift off, Pyralis stopped her with a claw, ''We shan't fly, sister. It is too risky. I am certain the Skylanders are out. And The Darkness...'' Craning his neck, he breathed out a violent flame at passing Darkness. Screeching, the evil tendrils contorted, billowing in anger. Pyralis flickered his tongue out, satisfied. ''It is an enigma. The clouds are deathly, you never know what they are capable of. I cannot have something happen to you, knowing that I could've prevented it from occur-'' Abruptly, his stomach growled, an all too familiar sound in the Pit.

''Oh, my," Frigor pawed at the clouds of villainy, ''does The Darkness get hungry?''

''Mayhaps. But that wasn't The Darkness; unfortunately, I've only nipped at scraps today. Thankfully, I found you some food.'' He turned to his sister, expectantly. ''How was your meal today, Frigor?''

His sister just closed her eyes and looked away, guiltily. Pyralis already knew what that meant. Flatly, he grimaced. ''You didn't eat, did you?''

Frigor timidly kneaded the sand. ''Th-the Frost Feline cub...it was so little and innocent. I saw you ripping it apart. So, when you gave some to me...I couldn't eat it. I just couldn't, Pyralis. I just couldn't. Besides, the others needed it more than me.''

Pyralis felt like crumpling to the ground. ''Sister, it is meat. We're dragons, carnivores. Eating meat is in our nature. It is the way of true drag-''

''Pyralis, do you miss our people?''

The guard had to blink a few times. ''Wha...what?''

''Our people.''

''By _people _I assume you mean other dragons?''

''No,_ our_ people.''

''I don't remember claiming any people. That is a waste; I would eat them instead.''

''Our people! Our owners!'' Frigor exclaimed, much to Pyralis' surprise; she rarely raised her voice. With a sigh, she looked up at him with a frown. ''You have to remember them; you couldn't have forgotten our people.''

Pyralis pulled a thinking face. ''Our people...'' he echoed. Slow smog drifted from his nostrils, flaring them as he thought. ''Yes, I remember the people, well...'' Unfortunately, Pyralis and Frigor were not born in the wild like the rest of the Pit Dragons. Instead of hunting down prey, they were given slabs of red meat. Instead of a craggy den, they were grew in the comfort of roomy stables. Instead of dust baths, they were washed with sudsy bubbles and sponges. Instead of vicious lacerations, they were rewarded with pats from warm hands of nice children.

The fleshy beings with head flames had been their caretakers. They tended to their needs, while the dragons protected them in return, so had been the way of the village for many years. Their pampered lived would soon change, for all dragons were not so happy about the idea of confinement. A horrible snowstorm had struck the people's happy, little town. It was the doing of a powerful dragon who breathed searing ice and summoned violent winds. His attack was extreme, but it was only a mere distraction, as the Pit Dragons used this for cover. Destroying the stables, they freed many, but few joined them. Adults and elders chose to freeze, while the gullible hatchlings, like Pyralis and Frigor, knew no better, and joined the fierce Pit Dragons.

''Yes,'' Pyralis grudgingly rumbled, ''sister, I remember the kind people well...''

Frigor gave him a look of utter surprise. ''You do?''

''However...'' Pyralis continued, ''I do not miss them...The people of the flames, I shan't forget them, though I force myself to erase them from my mind. They are distractions.'' Triumphantly, he puffed out his chest. ''Distractions are only for the weak. Dragons are not to be domesticated.'' Pyralis spat out every word, as if poison had lathered his tongue. Smoke swirled from the corners of his maw and a rattling hiss sounded in his throat. ''They underestimated us dragons. Our _people _learned that lesson well, I am sure.''

Frigor shuffled a claw, dejectedly. ''Oh...''

''Do not look so sad, little one.'' Pyralis lifted his sister's chin up with a gentle claw. ''It is just that I am happier here.'' Licking her snout, something like an awkward coo erupted from his mouth. ''You should be, too.'' A ghost of a smile wrinkled its way onto Pyralis' face, an attempt to cheer up his sister, but poor Frigor only turned away. Having failed, Pyralis heaved a smoky sigh. Wrapping a wing around Frigor's small frame, he pulled her close. ''You'll understand all this and more when you're older, sister.''


	16. Semper Memor(Part One)

_A new year, a new, super late, chapter! Yeaah, sorry about that, readers. I guess you can expect me to post chapters like every month. Or maybe two months. Or maybe a year after. Thanks for sticking by and dealing with my eternal laziness, as I see, in my January Traffic Stats, some people are still coming back. This was becoming another long chapter, so I decided to split it up. Hopefully this can hold you over until I'm done with part two!_

* * *

"Nocturnal party!''

At the earpiercing sound of excited shrieks, Night Shift growled. Peace and quiet wasn't even a thing with the SWAP Force; it just wasn't comprehensible. The exact definition of 'silence' appeared to be completely wiped from their minds. Poof! Gone! Even the Sneakers could be like a jamboree of chattering squirrels! And they were supposed to be quiet! At night, most people expected the SWAP Force to shut up, but no, it was just snores galore, like some sort of torturous lullaby. Well, there were some exceptions, for a certain owl was still wide awake, much to Night Shift's extreme disappointment.

While Hoot Loop floated about the room, enjoying himself a little too much, Night Shift had been, or at least trying, to read the newspaper. "Yes, yes, we are both nocturnal," the vampire said in the usual grumble, "but I do not see why you are so excited. This is what happens every night. The others fall asleep, we stay up, etcetera etcetera, blah blah blah.''

Hoot Loop sucked in an exaggerated gasp. In a burst of magic, he teleported over to the side of Night Shift's bed. With a whimper, the magician widened his eyes to an astounding degree, another one of Hoot Loop's freaky owl talents. "You're not excited?"

''Ehhh...**no**_,_" Night Shift soon returned back to reading, the usual, wrinkling scowl upon his face. As expected, a talon clipped onto the side of the paper. Night Shift, ears flopped down, heaved a sigh, "Must you?"

"I simply must!'' Twirling around in a little circle, Hoop Loop giggled; it was as if he thought pestering the vampire was fun. As a matter of fact, all of his teammates thought it was fun to annoy him, especially Mr. Modern, or rather Freeze Blade. Hoot Loop tapped the newspaper with his magic wand. ''Abracadabra!'' In a enchanted explosion, the gazette disappeared. Happy as can be, the magician clapped his hands together with a cheer. "Yaaay! Hurrah!" He pinched the vampire's cheek, or cheekbone rather, for he grabbed onto as little skin as possible. "Thank you, Grandpa. Now—"

Night Shift interjected with harsh haste. "Do not call me that."

''—we can let the Nocturnal Party commence! Hahah!" Hoot Loop was always quite ecstatic, to say the least. Night Shift wasn't sure why, but it probably had something to do with his owl nature. With those creepy, big eyes of his, the eerie turning of his head...

Night Shift shivered, bat ears quivering at past images of Hoot Loop in the act of his strangeness. Even the Undead could be easily spooked by the strange Skylander.

"So, what do _you_ want to do on this fine night, friend?"

"Well, what do you think I want to do on this fine night?"

"Hmmmm, what_ do_ you want to do?" Hoot Loop squinted in deep thought. "Ah!" Once it hit him, he shook his magic wand in squealing glee. "You want to play charades! Yesss, I love charades!"

Night Shift widened one eye at the owl, incredulously, and shook his head. "Not even close."

"Oh, well, then, we can plaaaay...we can play Gateways and Gnorcs!" With great alacrity, Hoot Loop cawed. ''Ooo, ooo, I call dibs on the mage! He's my favorite! I love the mage! Or we could stay up late! Oh, bother; that's what we're doing already. Wait! I know—I know what we can do! We can play Go Fish! N-no, Bingo! Skystones!"

"Hoot Loop..."

"We can read The Cardmaster's diary!" Hoot Loop suggested in a shout. With another gasp, he sank his head into his fluffy feathers. "Oooo," Evilly, he rubbed his hands together with a wicked smile, " and we can read it without the others..." Tapping his nails against each other in a slow series, huge pupils dilating, Hoot Loop gave a maniacal laugh.

Night Shift simply twitched an ear. "Hoot Loop..."

"Woo! Woo-hoo-hoo!" Wiping a genuine tear from an eye, he started to slow his giggles. "Hee-heh, oh, I'm such a rebel."

Plainly, Night Shift blinked. Massaging his head with a boxing glove, the vampire gave a sigh. Night Shift sighed quite a bit, that and the usual, grumpy scowl were considered simple signs of annoyance amongst his fellows. "No, no Hoot Loop. You really want to know what _I_ want?"

Hoot Loop teleported over, getting face to face with Night Shift. He grabbed him by his uniform. "Desperately!"

''Well, if you want to know..." Night Shift's voice hardened. "Please keep your grubby talons** off**."

Hoot Loop obliged, but still wore a mask of excitement, bright eyes big. ''Uh-huh..."

"What I want to do tonight..." Night Shift wrinkled his mouth into a sly smile. "...is..." Slowly, he leaned forward. "Absolutely..." Raising his lips into a menace, he finished in an icy whisper. "Nothing."

Hoot Loop frowned. He gave a whine. "But, Night Shift, you're the only one awake. I have no one else to talk to..." His eyes widened to an extreme extent. He, tightly, held his wand, pushing it close to his chest. Sadly, Hoot Loop sat on the edge of Night Shift's bed. "Not a soul in this great, big, blue world to have a nocturnal party with-_hehittth_!" Before he could even finish, a strangled sob sprang from his throat. "Ohhhh, why, why me?!"

Night Shift groused. "Hoot Loop, stop with the sad eyes; you're not a hatchling, you're an a-"

Whimpering like a puppy-dog, Hoot Loop rotated his head to face Night Shift, snuffling. His feathers were drooped, as if he had been caught in the rain. He let out a hoot, a sigh of depression. "Hooo..."

Night Shift rose his brows in surprise. ''Adult..." he finished, slowly.

All cheeriness had been stripped away with one, single statement; the owl had never looked so deprived, so dejected. "Hooo..." he repeated. "Hoooo..."

Night Shift grimaced, the owl was starting to sigh just as much as him. "If you want to play a game, why not play the Silent Game?"

Hoot Loop perked up with a gasp. However, his excitement was quickly diminished, as he squinted his big eyes at the Teleporter. "Wait a magical minute...Isn't that the game you play with Freeze Blade all the time?"

"Why, yes, yes it is."

"Oh, I don't really like that game."

"And why's that?"

"There's no joy between the best of friends, no lights to illuminate the gift of life, and-"

"No annoying sounds?"

With closed eyes, Hoot Loop brought his fists towards his chest and shook them. "No _soul!_" After a prolonged silence, Hoot Loop pried open an eye. "Sooo, how'd you like that? Stink Bomb's teaching me the ways of an actor!"

Night Shift frowned. "Well..." He paused to think. What could he say?

"So it left you absolutely speechless?"

It was best for Night Shift to just start saying things and hope they would work. "W-well, Rattle Shake's probably awake!" he lied. "So, uh, why don't you go spread your toxic goodness to him, hm?"

"Nope!" Hoot Loop shook his head, magic sparking off his feathers. "Rattle Shake's out. Knocked out. Cold. Listen!"

"Ssss..." Rattle Shake's snore wasn't like the others. While Fire Kraken snorted like a hog, Wash Buckler burbled as if he was sleeping underwater, and Stink Bomb sounded like he had the common cold, Rattle Shake's could be quite frightening in the middle of the night. It was always a hiss, like something out of a horror film, followed with the flickering of a tongue that lapped at the air. But, it did always have its amusing moments...

Pillow pushed against his face, Rattle Shake softly hissed. "Sssenorita, my sweet flower, come to me." For some reason, he kept dreaming about some lady, no name, nothing, just a random woman. It came as no surprise with that golden voice of his when females practically flung themselves at him, their hero, sharing flowers and kisses galore. Rattle Shake was apparently quite the player, as Freeze Blade would say, before the Splitting.

"Is he making out with his pillow again?" Night Shift asked with a slight smirk.

Hoot Loop covered up a little snicker. "Yep."

That seemed to cheer Night Shift up, as he let out a jovial, low snicker. Jeering at his teammates always sent the vampire into good spirits.

"Heheh, yeah, that's funny..." Hoot Loop, however, didn't find it amusing for long, for his feathers flopped down once again. "But he's still asleep."

"Hmm..." Night Shift furrowed his brows in thought. "How about...Stink Bomb? He's verminous, I've heard; isn't he nocturnal? Like a rat or something?"

"Sensei," As if on cue, said-skunk started to sleepily drawl, "I'm sorry...I didn't mean to eat all the cookies in the...cookie jar..."

Hoot Loop nodded, slowly. "Ahhh, so that's who's been snatching all the cookies at HQ..." He folded his arms with a scoff. "How dastardly! Just look at him, the menace..."

The swift scuffing of a quick claw sounded, a usual noise of Stink Bomb scratching his rump. Men, they were, but gentlemen...they were not.

"Yes," Night Shift snorted, full sarcasm practically laden in his old-timey voice, "how terribly, awfully dastardly. What a coldhearted menace."

"Scoffing our cookies, hmph! It's not fair!"

"Hoot Loop, we get those for free from the tiny foxgirl children. Every week."

"Still not fair! And he said he was on a diet! A bloody diet my blooming, teleporting bottom half!"

"All this over cookies?"

"Yes!" Hoot Loop clenched a hand into a shaking fist. "Absolutely!"

Night Shift blinked. "Ohhh-kay. Trap Shadow?"

"Murmuring something about meat, I think."

"Doom Stone?"

"Working out in his sleep, like always. I guess laboring is in his blood. Wait, do stone men bleed?"

"Everyone else?"

"Snoring away!"

Night Shift bit his lip. _Someone_ had to be awake; they all couldn't have been asleep, right? Wildly, the Undead boxer scrolled his eyes about the room, hoping, begging, praying to find one of his teammates wide-eyed and bushytailed. Unfortunately, he didn't find an ally awake...but he found something better, one that was literally wide-eyed and bushytailed: an enemy.

Chester!

In a dark corner, huddled underneath a hoard of blankets, the fox looked more like a Chihuahua than anything else. Frightened out of his wits, Chester shook like a leaf, teeth chattering so fast it seemed as if he was stuck in a snowstorm. He was perfect! He was awake, alert, active-

_And he's not me_, Night Shift thought with a laugh. Scheming, he drummed his fists together. "Hey, Hoot Loop, what about Chester?"

Hoot Loop blinked at the question. "I don't know, what about him? I-Is he awake?"

"Quite, more awake than I am." Night Shift urged. "Perhaps you should talk to him? Hmmm?"

"Perhaps _we _should talk to him? Hmmm?"

"Yeah, sure, whatever."

Hoot Loop giggled with glee before turning his attention to Chester. Cupping a talon before his beak, he shouted. "Hey, Chester!"

Chester's ears jerked up in terror. Frozen, he had a stare off with the owl, big eyes locking with each other. In midst of the awkwardness, the fox murmured, reached up for the edge of a blanket, and hurriedly covered his face.

"Oh dear, you must've startled him off."

"Hm? What?" Night Shift jolted awake with a sleepy snort. "O-oh, yes, probab—" His eyes lit up with alarm. Scowling, he asked through gritted teeth and a grumble. "What did you just say, hatchling?"

"Chester!" Hoot Loop didn't hear him or either plainly ignored him. Or maybe both. "Chesterrr! Marco!"

Chester's voice was only a tiny whisper. "They're coming..."

"Marcooo!"

"They're coming..."

Hoot Loop placed his hands on his hips. "Chester, you're not playing this right. You're supposed to-"

"Wait a second, Hoot Loop, let the whelp speak," Night Shift disturbed their little game. The tips of his ears twitched with interest. "Chester, who is coming? Chester?" he asked, sternly.

A muffled whine was his only reply. "Mrr..."

Night Shift growled. "You didn't," he pounded his fists, "bring any company with you, hm? Are you plotting something?"

"Mrrr..."

"Chester, so help me, I will-"

Showing himself, Chester gave a bark. "They're coming to get me! They're all coming to get me!" His eyes, abruptly, darted adorning the Cheshire Cat's smile. He started to mutter amongst himself like a maniac. "They're gonna get me, they're gonna get me..."

"_Who_?" Hoot Loop always put so much emphasis in that word.

"**They** are!"

"But who's who?"

"They are!"

"Well, who's they?"

Night Shift shook his head. "I wouldn't look so much into it anymore. Chester's insane." In a groan, he added. "He's almost as bad as Softpaw."

"Oh, balderdash! He's just a little..." Carefully, Hoot Loop weighed his words. "A little..."

"Psychotic?"

"No, that's not it."

"Mental?"

"No, no, I was going to say..."

Chester gave a barking laugh. He pounded a fluffy paw to the floor. His loud laughs slowed, becoming little growls and snarls. Along with it, his random amusement turned into dark hatred. "You people are always the same," he lolled his head to a side, "always teasing, always judging." For a second, Chester actually looked... menacing. His messy fur was prickled to the point, his big eyes were bugged, and his teeth gritted. Drool drippled from his quivering, furry lips. "You people..." he spat with shivers and jitters. "Know nothing..."

Chester the Fox looked like an absolute madman. He was even twitching! From head to tail, no less!

The fox, plopping himself to the ground, scratched at his ear like a fleabitten mutt. Agiated, mumbly, he grumbled and growled. "Aaughh..." His eyes trailed, one eye darting one side, the other darting to another. In a fierce growl, by his standards, he rasped. "What are you looking at?"

Hoot Loop waved his hands. "Nothing, nothing at all."

"You."

"Night Shift!"

"What, what? I was only telling the truth."

"Enough!" Chester found no amusement in their banter. He pointed a quaking finger at them. "You know nothing! Nothing!"

Was this a new personality? Or...what? What was even going on anymore? Night Shift hadn't the slightest clue. Chester was right; they didn't know anything.

"Can't you feel it?"

"What?" asked the two Teleporters..

Chester flopped down like a fish. Slowly, tail swaying, he rubbed the floor with great intent. He let out a breathy pant. "Can't you feel it? The rumbling of the earth, the shattering of the world..."

The Teleporters replied unanimously.

"No, not really."

"Not at all."

Savagely, probably annoyed, Chester tugged and bent his ears. "Can't you hear the howling of the wind, the cries of those fallen, the roars of horrid, haunting beasts?"

"No, it's kind of hard to hear anything over all this..." Hoot Loop gestured to some of his sleeping teammates. "...noise."

"Huh, all this racket, more like," Night Shift added.

"Wha..." Chester seemed breathless, taken away. He was in absolute disbelief. Forming his frantic words in stutters, he asked. "Can't...can't you smell-" Chester wiggled his button nose-"the rotting corpses of, the stench of decay, of f-foul death?"

"Yeah, I don't know about you, but, I'm pretty sure that's just Stink Bomb. He's probably just having another nightmare. You know, the one about psychedelic, bubbly anime girls giving him a spa bath," Hoot Loop stifled a little laugh. Swiveling his head, shifting his gaze towards said-skunk, he shouted. "Excuse you, Stink Bomb! We know you don't mean to suffocate us with your toxic fumes!" He laughed a little. "That guy. He can practically perform 'Ride of the Valkyries' in his sleep. Simply astounding. Hah, get it? **AS**tounding!** AS**-"

Night Shift rubbed his brows. "We get it, Hoot Loop..."

"I-I don't..." Chester, meekly, murmured. "I don't understand."

Hoot Loop eagerly started to explain. "Oh, well, you see, the tush is sometimes call-"

"You can't feel..." Chester put his paws onto his head. "You can't feel it..."

Night Shift snorted. "Of course, we're not insane. Well, maybe Hoot Loop is, but I'm definitely not."

"No, no, no, no, no!" Chester plugged his ears with his paws. "This can't be happening! It can't be!"

"What's happening? What can't be happening?" Hoot Loop curiously tilted his head.

Night Shift rolled his eyes. "Nothing's happening, Hoot Loop."

Chester snapped. "No! You're all wrong! Always remember! Always remember!" He gnawed rapidly and anxiously at his nails. "All wrong, all wrong, all wrong! Mary—mary little...mary little lamb...rose...dead...death..." Hyperventilating, the maniac rocked back and forth. "We're all going to die, we're all going to die, we're all going to die..."

"Positive thoughts, positive thoughts," Hoot Loop reminded. "Being so pessimistic will get you nowhere. You'll get like Night Shift, old, decrepit, and...old."

"**STOP TALKING! DO YOU KNOW HOW HARD IT IS TO LIVE WITH HUNDREDS OF VOICES ALL TALKING TO YOU AT THE TIME JUST BECAUSE YOU STOLE SOME STUPID BOOK FROM THE UNDERWORLD THAT JUST SO HAPPENED TO BE CURSED WITH THE ANCIENT EYE OF THE UNDEAD, GAVE IT AWAY TO SOME CREEPY OLD HAG, AND NOW IT'S IN THE BLOODY CLAWS OF THAT CARD-THROWING, DRUNKARD, DELIRIOUS MURDERER?! NO, NO YOU DON'T!**" Chester bellowed at the top of his lungs. He came to a close with a hushing shudder. A wretched grin etched his face. Slowly, eerie as ever, he turned to the two Skylanders. "Shhh, " Chester put a finger to his lips. He parted his jaws in a crazy pant, cackling like an hyena. "The Darkness is coming." He fell into a snickering, squirming mass. "We're all doomed."

The Teleporters exchanged glances...

"Oh, yes, he is quite psychotic, loony, totally and absolutely bonkers."

"Told you so..."

* * *

A gloomy, midnight sky hung over the Esper. Sad clouds skimmed across the drab gray, driplets of water falling like tiny missiles. The golden glow of the sun had been long gone, cloaked entirely. On the outside, she, the Esper, looked like a ghost ship, shrouded by spirits of depression, as if it were abandoned. However, it was anything but. Jovial barks of laughter completely drowned out the pounding of heavy rain. Despite such unfortunate weather, the crew of The Cardmaster were having a jolly good time.

Around the table, sozzled Seadogs cheerily downed drinks. A few of the smaller gargoyles lapped at spills, some even sticking their heads in beakers full of rum. Merry howls rang out to the melody of an awful sea shanty, sung by none other than Jabb. A singing cat wasn't the prettiest of sounds and the lyrics, if anyone could even call it that, were only rambles, but absolutely anything to the drunk lot was entertaining.

Like an idiot, the crazy cheetah pranced about on the table, kicking, spinning, twirling. Sloshing the drink in his paw, Jabb garbled a song to the best of his abilities,

"O' I go for the throat for stoat,

I can shave a saber clean,

There's no mistaken, I-I can make Boghog bacon,

'Cause there's no one quite like me!"

"Ssss_ttoooo_p..." Patches rubbed at his ears. "For love of the Ancients, please, **please**, just stop." How atrocious! Bitter as can be, Patches sat like a hunchback in his chair, a grimace scrawled upon his face. The Seadog hadn't been entirely in a great mood. He barely even touched his drink! And he was a pirate! Ears drooped, head hung, Patches was just a spotted furball of angsty depression. "You sound like a dying Gillman."

"Wh-whaaaa?" With hiccups, Jabb gave the first mate a winning smile. "You know you love it..."

"No," Patches shook his head, "I know I hate this, I hate you, and I don't want to be here. At all."

"He-heh-herk!" Jabb, head thrown back, cackled like a sick seal or some sort of dying donkey; either way, it was irritable. "You scoundrel, you!" Jabb then took a big inhale, but before he could start to _sing _once more, Patches tugged on the cheetah's tail. "**YIPE!**"

''The end, fin, no more!" Squeezing it in his grasp like a squeaky toy, the splotchy Seadog, with gritted teeth, ordered. "Never, ever, on any circumstance, sing again."

"Owwooooch!" Jabb caterwauled, furs raised, eyes wide; it looked almost as if he had just be shocked by lightning. ''Ow, ow, ow! Hands off the merchandise, mate!" He snatched his tail away, casting Patches a sideways glance. ''Well, seems like someone's angry. Again, might I add! You are quite the bittah one, Patches.."

Patches breathed out through his wet nose in exasperation. "I'm just tired, that's all."

Scrunching up his snout, paws on his hips, Jabb started to mock with a stupid voice. "I'm just tired, that's all. I'm Patches, and I'm sad because The Cardmastah won't notice me!" He got into the Seadog's face. "Boo-hoo!"

Patches flicked his ears in annoyance at the sound of snickers. "Stop that, stop laughing!" However, no one listened, as their sniggers arose into full-blown chuckles. Fur bristling, Patches, angrily, shoved the cheetah. "I already told you, this isn't about The Ca-"

''This is totally all about The Cardmastah!" Scrubbing his eyes, Jabb let out an exaggerated wail. "He doesn't love me anymo_rrrr_e!"

Roars of laughter crowded Patches' twitching ears,

"Harharhar!"

"Good ol' Jabb, what a joker!"

"Ohoho, my guts!"

Hogface's laugh was by far the loudest. "It's funny 'cause it's true, hahahah!" He banged his giant fists onto the table in utter hilarity.

Patches, with the curl of his lips, glowered at all the sneering faces of his crewmates. Shaking with displeasure, the deputy howled. "Oh, shut up!" He flashed his fangs at all of them, snarling. "Shut your yaps, all of you! Shut up! Shut your blabbing gobs, you stupid-"

Jabb, with a squeaky snicker, roughly wrapped an arm around the barking Seadog. "Don't be such a killjoy, mate," He ruffled the Seadog's hair with his claws. "I'm just kidding—even though it's true—I'm just playin', haha!"

"Shaddup!" Patches pushed Jabb off with a screech. He slammed his seat into the table. Throwing his head back, Patches screamed. "Stop talking!" But his enraged exclaim was only drowned out by the howls of ultimate laughter, from both Seadog and gargoyle,

"Listen to that, matey! Heh-heh!"

"Sounds just like Cards!"

"Ooo, I'm Patches, and I'm off to go sulk like a little puppy!"

"Hahah! That's right, go off to sulk, boy! Go cry t'Redfur!"

"Silly, spotted waterdog!"

"Ha-har, yeah, go cry to Daddy Redfur!"

"Yiss, yiss, go cry to thee Daddy of Redfur! Yissss!"

"Shut up..." Patches rolled his eyes at the name as he trudged off. Redfur had always been a great friend. He was there when Patches needed to seek counsel, while as The Cardmaster would simply tell him to 'get over it'. Although he didn't like the admit it, Patches considered Redfur to be more of a father than The Cardmaster would ever be. Thus, the irritating name had spawned.

Stomping into the shadows, Patches tried to ignore the jeers of his shipmates, like a sensible, young man. However, a Seadog's hearing was an absolute burden. He heard everything, their laughs, their snorts, their drunk gurgles...

In unison, all the drunkards started a stupid uproar. "Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!"

That had been the last straw.

Patches stopped in his tracks. He clenched his fists, breathed in, and cursed through his teeth. Being a good dog just wouldn't cut it anymore. Snarling, he whirled around with such ferocity that someone could've mistaken him for the Master of Cards. Patches made an aggressive beeline to none other than Redfur, his best, and quite possibly only, friend. Nothing could get in Patches' quest for solace, for he simply shoved the Seadog aside Redfur out of his seat, shouting, "Get out of my way!" The hasty Seadog plopped himself down into his newly, reclaimed chair.

Redfur sighed at the fallen Seadog. Shaking his head, he turned back to Patches. "Oh, c'mon, matey, that was a bit rude."

Patches compressed his teeth and scowled. "Is _this_ the face of someone who cares, Redfur?"

"You know, my one eye ain't as good as it used to be but..." Cocking his head to a side, Redfur stuck a nail into the corner of his mouth. "I'm just gonna go out on a limb and say...maybe? Yes, no, maybe so?"

Patches put a paw to his brow. "Ugh..."

"What?" Redfur scratched at his snout. "What'd I say?"

Patches slumped into his seat with a mumble. "Nothing."

"Awh," Redfur smiled, "don't be like that, matey. It's all in good spirits. Besides..." He gave a nod to the Seadog across from him, Bumpnose.

With a cup on his muzzle, the strange Seadog gave a delighted squeal. "Hahaha!" He clapped his paws together in a loud series. "Lookit! Lookit me! Haha, I'mma dolphin! Arf-arf-arf!"

His buddy, Badchops guffawed, joining him in the fun. "A dolly-fin!"

"You idiots!" Patches just couldn't help himself; berating others was just in his nature. "Those are seal noises, not-"

Redfur placed a paw on Patches' shoulder. "Everyone's absolutely drunk!" he finished.

"And that gives them a reason to mock** me**?" Patches slapped a paw against his chest. "The first mate? Second in command?!"

"Aye," Redfur answered with nonchalance.

Patches groaned. "You're not helping, Redfur..."

"Sure, I am!" Redfur smacked Patches on the back with a hearty laugh. "It's just you that's the problem. You're the only problem here."

"Me?" Patches drew his head back in shock. "How am I the problem?"

"Well, you're a tad bit self-conceited, bratty, grumpy, mean, cruel, and...you never really seem to wash behind your ears."

"What?!"

"So, you're basically a..."

"A what?" Patches snapped. "A what?! What am I?! Tell me!"

After a long pause, Redfur, with a short snicker, finally answered. "A mini-Cardmaster."

Patches gave a gasp. "R-really?"

"Really really," Redfur nodded.

Stifling a whimper, Patches sniffled and wiped at an eye. "You have no idea how much that means to me." As he spoke, his voice cracked here and there. He looked at Jabb with a quavering smile. The cheetah, noticing the Seadog, tossed his head to a side, returning the smile.

"You know..." Patches started to slowly murmur. "Maybe I was kind of a j—**OW!**" A well-thrown piece of rock-hard, stale bread hit him right aside the head. "**BLOODY 'ELL!**"

Jabb gave a yowl. "Forgiveness bread! _Hic_—huzzah!"

"Why you little**-**"

There was a noise. An horrible, heinous, horrendous noise. It had cut off all words to be said. "**GRRRRAAAAAAUGGGGH!**"

It sounded as if an enraged Giant had boarded the Esper. No, like a dying demon. No, like, like...

Everyone spoke in a hushed murmur. "The Cardmaster..."

"Having fun,_ cullies_?" An ominous whisper sounded. "Hm? Are you, _mates_?"

A door closed, glasses shattered, lit candles blew out, and two, piercing white eyes glowed in the distance...

Before anyone could do anything, powerful claws slammed down onto the table. A surge of purple energy ruptured through quaking wood. With a moan, immense cracks splintered to the ends of the table. Menacing lights arose from the ungracious incisions, purely adding to the evil effect as a snarling maw snapped. The Cardmaster lunged his savage head forth with a thunderous bark. The look on his face made Patches shiver with fear; it was absolutely mad!

With a voice like that of a booming storm, The Cardmaster bellowed at the top of his lungs, "**WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?! YOU DARE GOURGE YOURSELVES ON MY RUM?! YOU DARE LET THE SLAVES HAVE SOME TOOO?! I SHOULD SLAUGHTER YOU ALL FOR YOUR INSOLENCE! I'LL SEND THE LOT OF YOU TO THE GATES OF THE UNDERWORLD! I'LL HAVE MALEFOR FEAST ON YOUR CARCASSES! YOU WORTHLESS FLABS OF FLESH! YOU MINDLESS RUBBISH! YOU ARE NOT SEADOGS; YOU ARE IDIOTIC CURS, WASTES OF SPACE, WASTES OF FLESH, OF BONES! I AM THE CAPTAIN! I AM THE ALPHA DOG! I AM THE ULTIMATE PORTAL M-**" And then he just...stopped. The table was pushed back together, diminishing the light. Candle wicks were relit and shards of glass were reformed.

A sharp whine split Patches' ear fur. Oh no. Had The Cardmaster hurt someone? Had he hurt himself? There were a few gasps among his shipmates, interesting, and startling, the first mate even more. Curiosity perked, Patches, reluctantly, forced his wincing eyes open. His breath was automatically taken away.

The Cardmaster was actually sad. Tearful, even.

Patches had never, ever, ever seen The Cardmaster cry; he barely even heard his captain sniffle. Pirates were known for their lack of remorse, and The Cardmaster was no different. He was a beast, a being of utter destruction, spurred onwards by the thought of bloodshed. If that was true, then why was he tearing up all of a sudden? In front of his own crew, no less?

No one spoke; some were too afraid, surprised, uncomfortable, disturbed even, but they were all absolutely bewildered.

Only Patches hazarded to say something. Shakily, after swallowing his fears in a big gulp, he murmured. "Cap'n...?"

The Cardmaster had covered his teary eyes. "...they're gone..." Mumbling like a lost soul, he had sounded as if he speaking an entirely alien language.

Patches strained his ears. "Wh-what, captain?"

"...they're all gone..."

"What?"

Losing his patience, The Cardmaster brusquely bellowed. "**THEY'RE ALL GONE!**" It definitely wasn't the usual howl of fury; this one consisted of something else...something different. Gritting sharpened teeth, the captain suppressed a broken whine. "Whitewolf..." He practically shook with sadness. "Snakeface, Longwhiskers..." Tears sprung from his harsh eyes and trickled down his rough face as he forced out the last name. "Slitear..." Realizing that his crew was watching him intensely, The Cardmaster snarled. "Have you forgotten what I said? Have you forgotten your **brains**? It is bad luck to look at a pirate while they...lament...j-just stop looking! Can't you idiots see I am in a bad mood?! Stop looking!"

Along with everyone else, Patches turned away...but, like a naughty pup, still peeked. Slitear? Patches had heard that name before. Slitear was one of those stupid mercenaries that gathered gold for The Cardmaster...oh, and he was one of his few childhood friends or whatever. Patches' eyes lit up; of course! Grief, that was it! The Cardmaster only felt remorse when someone close to him died!

"The mercenaries, sir?" Redfur cautiously hid his face with a paw, for the captain shot him a stern glare. "Gone?"

"Along with all the filthy, stinking gold!" Snout wrinkling in aggression, The Cardmaster shouted with spittle. "They're gone! All **gone**!"

"Th-they're dead?" Badchops asked.

"Dead?" The Cardmaster threw his head back with a delirious guffaw. "No, oh no, no, no, no, they're just on a little vacation to Candyland." In a millisecond, his expression darkened and his voice deepened to a deathly extent. "Keep that up, _hearties_, and you'll find yourself just like them."

"On a vacation to Candyland?" Bumpnose yipped in excitement. "I wanna go too, cap'n!"

Seeing this as the perfect opportunity to prove himself, Patches lurched forth with a shriek. "Silence! Shut up! Captain is explaining something!" Smiling, he looked up expectantly at his leader, but The Cardmaster just...nodded. No words of gratitude, no happy barks, nothing. Patches frowned. Obviously, the plan had worked a lot better in his head.

" 'Ey, Mistah Cards, how d'ya know they're dead as doornails?" Jabb licked at the rim of a rum bottle, lazy-eyed. "It's not like they're even on this b-blaw...bloody ship. Unless they're invisible or...whatevah."

"The illusion orbs went out. All four of them. They would've responded by now," The Cardmaster answered flatly. With his magic, he snatched the drink right out of Jabb's grubby paws. Lifting it into the air, the Seadog clenched his claw into a quaking fist. He pried apart his fingers, one by one. In a violent, purple burst, the bottle was completely obliterated, exploding from the force of evil energy. The Cardmaster ground his teeth. "Do not question me so. I am your captain. I am The Cardmaster. I_** know**_ they're dead, cat."

Jabb stared in horror. "You murderah! That was a perfectly good bottle o' my guilty pleasure!"

"You care about bottles, hm?" His captain toyed with a thick shard of glass. Growling, he threw the piece at Jabb, who, with a yelp, recoiled at sonic speed. "There are a couple of other things I can murder as well."

"But, captain, _who_ killed them?" Redfur slanted his head to a side. "More pirates?"

Patches rose a knife. "Whoever they are, I-I'll skin them like...like...stoats! You just give me the word, captain! Tell me who they are; I'll make 'em wish they were never born!"

"The monsters that haunt my nightmares..." The Cardmaster heavily breathed in and out through his nose. With narrowed eyes, he stared at his feet. "Those who continue to thwart my plans, the plague that sends its pestilence throughout all innocence, the scum of Skylands..." Snapping his head up with a snarl, dramatically, The Cardmaster wore a mask of rage. "The Skylanders."

Groans of dismay and disapproval ran rampant among the shipmates.

Patches, however, only seethed. "Those coldhearted murderers!"

"Sir, I don't mean to be...rude," Redfur scratched at the back of his scruff, "but how do we know the Skylanders killed our mateys, matey?"

"I _**know **_it's them. Who else could it be?" The Cardmaster said with a growl of disgust. "They are my sworn enemies; it is obvious they are trying to play a game with me, trying to taunt me, like childish pups. They rid of everything important to me one by one."

"Then I say we return the favor!" Patches stabbed his knife into the table. Curling his lip, he raised a triumphant fist into the air. "We'll slay all of 'em, no mercy! For the glory of the Esper! Who's with me?! Yaaaahh!"

His valiant speech was only rewarded with more grumbles, mumbles, and boisterous bellyaching.

But one Seadog had the guts to speak louder than the rest. "Haven't we...we've enough...we...had...of this chase. W-why...why can't we..." he lopped his tongue out of his mouth, lamely.

"Give up?" The Cardmaster's voice was full of mock surprise. With a little gasp, he stroked the hairs on his chin. "My, my, my," the captain showed his fangs in a bad smile. "What a splendid idea—absolutely tiptop!" Tapping his claws onto the table, he let out a low chuckle. "And what might be your name, _smartie_?" The way he uttered that single, small word made the dirty fur on Patches' neck rise to an entirely new level.

The so-called _smartie _hiccupped. "Sharpsnout..."

"Well, with a brain like that they should call you Sharp**wits**. You have an incredible mind, my friend."

"Kay..." Sharpsnout dabbled a finger in a cup of rum.

The Cardmaster started to stride about, paws behind his back. "Giving up is a _grrrr_eat idea. Unfortunately, the whole 'revenge' thing doesn't just...stop. Though I am certain you already know with that big brain, I shall remind you of this..." Stopping to gingerly pat the head of a gargoyle, he grinned, that awful smirk of his. "...Little predicament."

"Oh, boy, 'ere we go..." Redfur played with the string of his eye patch.

Looking at his grim expression, a new sense of fear gripped Patches by his heart. Redfur was considered a pioneer of The Cardmaster's crew. In the past, he had survived his captain's wrath with only a few scars and scratches, while the others weren't quite so fortunate. Redfur understood The Cardmaster's tongue more than anyone else. It had always been instinct for Patches to turn to Redfur; the old Seadog had practically been a translator.

In barely a whisper, Patches asked his friend, "What? What is it?"

Redfur shook his head, slowly, as he whispered back. "Look at his eyes, mate; they tell all. 'Tis bad news for ol' pal Sharpsnout, as I see his demise with my little eye. I know that look."

"Patches, Redfur," the harsh rumble of their captain sounded, "is there something you both want to say?"

Before Patches could stammer out an answer, Redfur, thankfully, said the words for him. "No, captain; there is nothing we want to say, just...chattin', like the good mates we are."

"Is that so?" The Cardmaster put his paws together. "Well, hate to say it, but could you please stop? I'm giving a lecture, a very important one at that. I do not tolerate interruptions."

With dipped heads, Patches and Redfur both said in unison, "Yes, captain."

The Cardmaster took a long pause, focusing an icy gaze at the two of them before continuing. "As I was saying, Sharpsnout..."

Sighing out an imprisoned breath, relieved, Patches drooped his earring-clad ears.

Redfur shared the same relief, clasping where his heart lay with a paw. "Was afraid that was the end of me..." Using a free hand, he pointed at his only eye. "Captain's ain't got eyes like me and you. They're a deceiving pair, I tell you. Just look at 'em now."

"...if they are not suffering, or **dead**, then I have not succeeded," The Cardmaster continued with a voice like that of the ocean, rippling up and down.

"I don't see it, Redfur," Patches admitted, crinkling his face up. "Look normal to me. They're only creepy when they're all lit up with that funky magic stuff."

"Shh, shh, shh," Redfur hushed, raising a paw. "Look...closely. He's got a mad look in 'is eyes. That look is death, pure death."

Patches shook his head. Perhaps Redfur was starting to lose it; he was the oldest of the Esper, anyway.

"I see...hidden anger and rage, boiling rage." Redfur started to whisper amongst himself. "Like the very flames of the fire at Sawsinskelp. Such anger, glittering, glimmering, glaring..."

Patches still hadn't seen any difference. To him, The Cardmaster actually looked rather relaxed. Where was the evil in that? In fact, the captain was smiling. Sure, it was a little crooked, but he was happy.

"Revenge is a fragile thing, Sharpsnout. You cannot be too quick or too slow." The Cardmaster spoke almost like a snake. He slithered towards Sharpsnout...with his paw hovering over a dagger on his belt. But it was not any regular dagger, it was...

**The** Dagger.

Patches' fur prickled up as fear overtook him. "Oh, gods..." The Cardmaster only used it on rare occasions, ones meant for killing. He had used it as the finishing blow for many battles in his years. Just the awful sight of the damned thing was an omen for death. Utterly appalled, Patches swallowed a lump in his throat, and turned to Redfur. He leaned back in his chair. "I, heh-heh, see it now..."

Redfur only replied with a snort. "Told you so..."

Everyone knew it, even the drunkards, there was no doubt in anyone's mind.

"Better get that ol' list out again, Red," Patches twisted his mouth, grimly. "We're gonna lose another mucker today."

* * *

The seas of Skylands' were savage places, known for their bestial might. The Esper was no newbie when it came to the dangers of the deadly waters. Merciless winds clashed on her sails, fierce waves fought like demons, and thalassic beasts raked their awful claws along her sides, but she still stood strong. And just like the old lass, the ferocity of such strong seas couldn't rob Scraggle the little Seapup of sleep. In the crows' nest, the corsair snored soundly. Nothing, nothing at all, could disturb him. That's what he thought until a little birdy came along...and screamed right in his ears.

"I-I'm up!" Scraggle sputtered awake. ''I'm up, Dad! I wasn't sleep..." His voice soon descended into an annoyed hiss. "R_rrruuu_dy..."

Rudy was a seagull. A very smart seagull. A very, **rude** seagull. Ever since Scraggle was put on lookout, the brash bird had been a friend to the end...more or less. Dancing about on his little legs, Rudy laughed up a harsh, squawking storm. Unfortunately for him, two sets of yellowed teeth snapped close, silencing his mirth as he staggered back in surprise. Bitterly, he bristled his feathers.

Scraggle smirked in satisfaction. "What're you talking about? I'm not being mean. If anything, I'm being polite; I didn't bite your head off, now didn't I?" The Seadog had spent so much time up in the crows' nest that he was actually starting to understand seafowl speak. In fact, he called himself the 'Bird Whisperer'. Of course, no one really believed him. No one really believed anything he said, to be honest. He was, sadly, only a pup. Though, in his mind, he was the manliest of men with a eagle for a pet.

If Rudy had arms, he would've most definitely be crossing them. Instead, he narrowed his beady, black eyes, and charged forward, wings spread, with a squawk.

"S-s-stupid? Wh-what?" Sputtering, Scraggle was at a lost for words. He, wildly, shook his paws. "Pffft, no, no, no, no! No. I never called you an idiot, I said you were a fool; they're totally different things!" He hastily scrambled up when a beak nipped at his foot. "Ow! Hey!" With a growl, the Seapup kicked out. "Shoo! Shoo! Don't make me get..." His aggressive gaze abruptly softened. "What're you doing?"

"Skree, skree, skree!" Rudy hopped about on his little feet. "Skreeee!"

At that sight, Scraggle just couldn't stay mad at the gull. "Aww! How precious! Hee-hee, just what're you up, matey?" Laughing, he scooped the seabird and sang. "Are you dancing? You wanna dance? Yes you do, yes you do! Woogie-woogie-woo!" A quick peck in the snout had silenced his saccharine song. "Owww!" He threw the bird out of his hands, growling. "You can't do that to me; I'm a Portal Master's son! I'll roast you over a fiery spit, I will, I swear! I hate you so much! You flapping, feathery fish, you! I'll...what are you doing now?"

Rudy continued his cute dance, this time with a few, new moves. Awkwardly, he stamped his webbed feet, lurching his head, and raising his wings, with every stomp. "Kraaa-en!"

"Kraaaa? Polly want a cracker, right? Heh, well, you're not a parrot, silly..." With a seesawing head, confused, Scraggle twisted his growing chin hairs in deep thought. "No? That's not it? What is it? You're kinda doing the potty dance there; do you have to go to the loo? I, heh, have to. Sometimes, I even go up-"

Rudy shook his head so rapidly some of his feathers flew off. "Kraaa-en!"

"Kraaa?"

"Kraaaaa!"

"Kraaa?"

"Kraaaaaaa-en!"

"Oh no!" With a look of shock and awe, Scraggle put his paws to his face. "Little Jimmy's stuck in the Wishing Well?!"

Rudy stared, unblinking and definitely unamused.

"Oh, c'mon, don't give me that look!" Scraggle threw his arm up in protest. "You're being kinda vague here! Eck!" Briny wings slapped him in the face. "Ow, ow! Hey!" To the best of his abilities, Scraggle protected himself with paws. "Stop, stop, stop it! What is **WRONG** with you? I'm a seabird whisperer, not a seabird wizard! Naughty bird."

"Kraaaa!" Rudy, impatiently, hopped about on the Seadog's head. He pointed a wing downwards. "Raaaak!"

"I still think you're being kind of v-" He cut himself off with a sharp yip, for a beak plucked savagely at his fur. "Owww-ow, okay! This is important, I get it, I get it." Half-heartedly, he looked down below. "What? What am I supposed to be looking at right now? The deck? Barrels?"

"Kraaa!"

"Yes, yes, kraa..." Scraggle made quotation marks with his fingers. Beneath his breath, he gave a mumble. "Whatever that means..." A well-deserved whack from a wing was sent his way. "Would you stop that? I swear-" Loud barks caught his already ringing ears, silencing all of his prepared protests.

Lucky, a crystal-covered bone in front of his paws, hopped up and down like a mad hare. Every time he crashed down, the Chillydog threw his head back with a lengthy howl. With teeth gnashed and a wrinkling snout, Lucky looked like as feral as a wolf.

"Well, there's that stupid dog. Barking, as usual," Scraggle rubbed at his aching ears. "Nothing new or important here. Just a dog. Just a normal dog." He cringed at Rudy's shrill shriek. "What?! I am so not jealous. You've just been yelling at me for the past, few hours! Er...minutes, whatever. What?! I'm not yelling; you're yelling! I'll stop yelling when you stop yelling! Oh, yeah, well—Lucky stop barking and shut up for one, stinking second! Dumb dog! We're trying to have a fight here!"

His exclaims, Rudy's squawks, and Lucky's barks were soon overwhelmed by a strange sound, one much louder than their bickering.

_RRRREEEE! _The shrill noise had been distorted by rough, horrible gurgles, like a dragon being drowned, or a boiling Gillman in a witch's brew.

They all stopped, they all shared the same face of confusion, and they were all equally disturbed.

What was that? Had it come from the sky? The seas? The Underworld? It had definitely sounded like one of Malefor's minions.

Though Scraggle had certainly heard worse; The Cardmaster's night terrors could be heard throughout the whole ship! Pondering, Scraggle propped up his pointy ears. "A bird?" Curiously, he tilted his head from side to side. "A very, very large bird. Or maybe gargoyle? Hmm, no, not gargoyle, definitely not," Agitated and confused, he mumbled through a small growl. "What was that? What **was** that? Where is it? Where?"

Monstrous thunder boomed overhead and blitzing lightning blazed the squally sky. Water and winds ratcheted, rising in tension, raising their intensity. On strange seas, such a combination was a recipe for absolute destruction. Scraggle had never heard such violent fierceness in a storm, never in his entire life! It sounded wild, wicked, brutal, grim, but most of all it sounded...ominous. Really, really ominous. Foreboding, actually. Really, really fore-

_RRRRRRRREEEEEE!_

**It** struck.

* * *

"I am not entirely fond of the waiting game..."

All joy had been drained from the inside of the Esper. It was absolutely lifeless. There were no barks or laughs, for the Seadogs sat with bated breath, listening to their captain's eerie speech and wincing at what was to come. Spurred on by fear, Patches looked like a spooked owl, wide-eyed. He was anticipating the death of his crewmate, Sharpsnout, with a little sliver of...excitement? It wouldn't be that much of a lost cause, right? No, it wouldn't. With one down, there'd be more room in the spotlight. But, then again, losing a matey would mean more chores to do around the Skyship. Each Seadog had their own individual job, almost like the Skylanders.

He breathed a sigh through his teeth, sounding like a serpent. This was another one of those double-bladed sword situations. Or maybe it could be considered a triple-bladed sword, as Patches would most likely be the one to clean up the mess afterwards. _At least captain would be having fun, _he thought.

"Some fools say you can't have cake and eat it too. But, to that, I say why not? I can have whatever I want, can't I? Isn't that right? Of course, it's right. I can have my cake if I bloody want to! I can have my enemies...and I kill them too. You see? It's that simple; quick, easy, and painless." Although Patches heard something entirely different: _I am going to kill you. You are a worthless slab of furry flesh. I truly hope you bleed like the pig you are. You are going to die! Do you hear me, scum?! DIE, DIE, DIE, DIE! Be distracted by my evil monologue! _

Patches began to wonder; was The Cardmaster going to kill Sharpsnout slowly or quickly? It wouldn't be too long now. Well, then again, The Cardmaster _did_ take a while to finish his monologues.

The Cardmaster wiped his blade on a Seadog's shoulder. "See, you understand now, don't you? You're a wise one, Sharpsnout, I know that now. You understand me."

Patches wanted to screech out, "No! I understand you! He doesn't! I understand!" Unfortunately, saying such a thing would land him with a knife stuck through his throat. Or choked by magic. Or thrown to the Snappers. Or tossed to the gargoyle hatchlings. There were just too many terrible ways to go on the Esper. He gave a woof of bitter distaste, keeping the rest of his hatred to himself. Patches' agitation was soon drawn away by a noise. His ears raised. "Uh, captain, I think someone's at the-"

_Knock knock._

The Cardmaster paid no mind. Instead, with great interest, he admired his reflection in the Dagger. "Getting vengeance must done in a timely manner, which is why I can get so very...impatient. Knowing that my mother's coldhearted murderers are still about is ever so aggravating. You know what I mean? Right, right? Skylanders are-"

_Knock knock._

This time, he grimaced at the noise, but, after clearing his throat, continued. "As I was saying, Sharpsnout, Skylanders are a sickness, a virus. Such a thing can only be cured by death. To rid of this awful plague, I must simply get rid of the problems. I shan't-"

_Knock knock knock._

"Grr," His ears flattened with every knock, but he still soldiered on with the speech. "I shan't stop..."

_Knock knock knock. _

"...until..."

_Knock, knock, knock. _

"...everyone..." The Cardmaster's voice grew of harsh vigor, spitting his words through grinding teeth. He clenched his fists. "...who goes against me..."

_Knock, knock, knock! _The sound only intensified.

"...is..."

_KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!_

Seething like a rabid animal, The Cardmaster raised his weapon. His eyes grew blank, angry waves of purple blasting from them. He finally snapped. Twitching in pure rage, drool at his lips, he gave a bellow. "**GET IN HERE! STOP THAT RACKET! KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK! I'LL DESTROY YOU! I'LL KILL YOU!"**

Roaring winds rushed into the Esper as door slung open, revealing a shivering Scraggle. Like a Storm Chicken without its head, he wildly scrambled inside, wet feet slipping across the floor. "Dad! Dad! Da—whoa!" As expected, and anticipated by the Seadogs, he tripped over, tumbled, fell right on his face, and clutched around the leg of The Cardmaster. Instantly, and almost automatically, wholehearted, belly laughs erupted from all of the crew. They threw their heads back with howls of pure mirth.

"Woo-hoo-hoo! Lookee there!"

"That ain't no pirate, that's a puppy!"

"Har-ar-ar!"

Finally, Patches was actually enjoying himself. Tears rained down from his eyes. He stamped his paws on the table, cracking up, chortling, cackling, snorting. This was great! Now, Scraggle would be the butt of everyone's jokes! Even his pet bird was laughing at him! This was the best!

Jabb, however, was more intrigued than humored. He started to down a whole bottle. "Who...who is that? He's got a funny-lookin' bird! I want one!"

Redfur, diligently, explained, "That's Scraggle, the lookout. You don't see him much around here. He's...one of The Cardmaster's sons."

Jabb immediately took a spittake. "What?!" He wiped his lip with a furry paw. "How'd...who would get busy...how'd that even happen?! That's terrible! Did he spawn?"

Redfur shrugged. "The Cardmaster just got around. She-beards are really into magic tricks. He's sort of a...tramp."

" 'Ey! Patches!" Jabb took this time to mock, the fool. "Looks like you've got a little brothah!"

Patches simply rolled his eyes, "Whatever."

"Get off!" Fiercely, The Cardmaster dealt his son a violent kick. "Stand up! Get up! Now!"

"It's.." Scraggle curled into a ball. "It's kind of hard to stand seeing how you just kicked me in my stomach, Dad."

"Why you..." The Cardmaster wrinkled his snout in a snarl, but ended up releasing an aggravated sigh of defeat. Grudgingly, he lifted the pup up. "Address your intentions."

"Huh?"

"Why are you here?" The Cardmaster clarified, stiff and slow. "Why aren't you in the crows' nest, Scraggle?"

Scraggle, shakily, rose to his feet. In fright, he visibly swallowed. "I saw a Kraken, sir!"

The Cardmaster's ears perked up in immediate interest. "Like a dragon? Those Sparklers?" A wicked grin formed upon his face. "Is that obnoxious Skylander aboard? Alone? Have you found him?"

"N-no, not like that! A Cloud Kraken! With big tentacles and everything!" Scraggle flailed his arms. "It was a monster from the depths! Didn't you hear it?! Didn't you feel it shaking the ship?!"

Tittering was soon suppressed from the onlooking Seadogs. Patches couldn't help but join in. That was outrageous! Completely stupid! Scraggle was starting to get as delusional as his father. He growled, or at least attempted to, at his shipmates. "It's the truth! I saw it with my own eyes! I'm not lying! A Cloud Kraken really attacked the ship!"

"Oh, sweet child," The Cardmaster pinched the Seapup's cheeks, "do you think your poor father has time for storytales?"

"It's not a-"

"Do you think I have time for makebelieve nonsense?"

"No-"

"Do you think I have time to listen to you squeak and squeal about stories that were made to shut annoying, little pups up?"

"No!'

"Then we agree on something. Good man," The Cardmaster patted him on the back. "You might just find a surprise in the nest tomorrow. Now, run along, I have to finish important, grownup work."

But Scraggle continued to plea. "No, wait, I-I really saw it, Dad! It was h_uuu_ge! Bigger than the ship! It was the size of a Giant! Dad, Dad, you gotta believe me! Ow!" His ear was taken in the gruesome grasp of The Cardmaster, who stalked forward, dragging him along. "Leggo!"

For once, The Cardmaster actually had a calm and collected voice. "Scraggle, go back outside in the dangerously, brewing storm that can possibly kill you. Daddy's busy; I don't have time to play. Bring that feathered rat of yours with you. I'll see if your stepsisters can come over for a visit later."

"No, Dad, Dad! I'm being serious! There was a real life Cloud Kraken! Tell 'im, Rudy!"

Smug as can be, Rudy closed his eyes...and shook his head.

"You dirty liar! There was a Cloud Kraken! You saw it, too! You saw it!" Scraggle was just like his father; they could both go from zero to sixty in a millisecond. He snapped his growing, nubby fangs. "I'll eat your wings off! Dad, don't listen to him! He's a dumb bird!"

The Cardmaster nodded, "That's nice, son."

Scraggle crossed his arms, pouting out a lip. "Grandpa would've believed me."

"Well, Grandpa is a traitor who associates with Skylanders. Do not speak of him again, Scraggle."

"D_aaaaaa_d!" Scraggle let out a whine. "You have to believe me! I-I really saw it! I'm tellin' the truth, Dad! It had a terrible beak a-and a ugly face! I don't want to go back up in the nest! I-It..." With a sharp yip, just as they neared the door, he kicked his little legs. "**IT TOOK LUCKY!**"

The Cardmaster stopped. He let go of Scraggle, letting his head harshly hit the floor. "Wha-what?"

"Yeah," Wincing, Scraggle rubbed the back of his head, "th-the Kraken took him. It grabbed him with its tentacles an-and threw him into the water. I think it might have even ate him!"

The Cardmaster spat in his son's face. "And you **didn't** stop it?!"

Scraggle pulled an innocent smile. He tapped his claws. "Ooops..."

Patches snorted. "Oh, come on, Cardmaster. There's no such thing as a Cloud Kraken, you even said it yourself. It's just one of those old wives' tales."

"**SILENCE!**" A roar burst from The Cardmaster's throat. Brewing with a whole, new level of outrage, fur flaring, he shook his powerful fists. Compressing his teeth, the captain gave a grumble. "Find that dog."

Scraggle jumped to his father's side. Paws on his hips, he barked. "Yeah, find that dog!"

Everyone was confused.

Patches blankly stared. "Wha-what?"

"Find. That. Dog."

Scraggle was a parrot. "Find that dog!"

Patches raised a finger. "Didn't you just say that-"

"Find that dog!" The Cardmaster rend the air with a screech. Before Scraggle could copy, his father shoved him over. Snarling, the Master of Cards lunged, leaping onto of the table with a roar that could scare the mane off of a Fire Claw lion. "**FIND MY DOG!**"

* * *

_chapter name in another language 'cause it sounds mysterious...and 'cause These Dagger Against My Fingertips inspired me._


	17. Semper Memor(Part Two)

_Crack! Snap! Fizz!_

Rude awakenings were expected when one was apart of the SWAP Force. Being a member of the team was a travail in the morning, the evening, the afternoon, and the night; it was all antics all the time, shenanigans 24/7. And on the seas, stuck on a ship, there was no exception.

Tiredly, Spy Rise rubbed at his face with limp hands. "Disturbances are everything in this godsforsaken...ughhh..."

The Swappers were like children. That was no opinion; that was a terribly, horribly unfortunate fact. They were always butting heads, roughhousing, calling dibs...Sometimes, Spy Rise wondered if Master Eon was actually pleased with them or if he was facepalming from up above. Personally, if he was a Portal Master, Spy Rise knew he'd be ashamed of their triviality. Perhaps it was just him being an uptight Techie, as all his teammates would say. Or perhaps it was him being how a Skylander should be: bound and determined. There was absolutely no time for mucking around; being a Skylander was serious business. But, much to Spy Rise's distress, all of this and more flew over his leader's head.

It was Wash Buckler's time to be a complete disturbance, apparently. Outside, Spy Rise could hear the clicking of soda cans being opened, over and over again. Perhaps it was simply payback; he had always annoyed his leader, and everyone else, with many nights of endless tinkering. What Spy Rise did was for a good cause; he was contributing to science, to technology. And just what was Wash Buckler doing? Contributing to being an annoyance?

"So much noise..." Spy Rise lifted his heavy eyelids with a groan. "Noise, noise, noise..." Nighttime was an absolutely blessing, while morning, so far, was just torture. Of course, like any Techie would, he had tried to solve the problem with many, different solutions: having Magna Charge play some peaceful snippets of rainstorms, covering his ears with stacks upon stacks of pillows, listening to the unearthly snores of his teammates...

Unfortunately, nothing could stop the menace that was Wash Buckler. Thus, Spy Rise believed it was neigh time to finally face the conflict directly. The Techie, grudgingly, sat upright, threw off his blanket, got out of bed, and started for the door. How Spy Rise dreaded his decision, but, sadly, it was the only way. He slung open the door, not even caring to be suave or refine anymore. "Wash Buckler!"

Sitting on a barrel, his leader froze with a can to his blue lips, stopping in mid-sip. Slowly, his gaze fell upon Spy Rise. Goofily, or rather foolishly, he smiled. "Wa_zzaa_p?"

Fingers to his shaking head, Spy Rise sighed at the crushed cans scattered and strewn across the deck. "Wh-where in Skylands did you get all this from? Did you go shopping? Did you even read the grocery list I made?"

"Oh, I don't know how they got here, maybe it's...magic!" Wash Buckler shook his hands, showily.

Spy Rise folded his arms.

"Okay, so no magic, Mr. Take The Fun Out of Everything." Wash Buckler said with an indignant scoff. However, it didn't take long for him to start smiling like an idiot again. "Chester got some groceries for us. By groceries, I mean **FREAKING SODA!**" Tossing his head to a side, he, lacking any of his past spirit, added, "And, you know, other stuff."

"Chester?" Spy Rise widened his eyes in surprise. "The thieving fox? Where is he? How do you know he didn't-"

"H-hold that thought, dude," Wash Buckler abruptly rose a finger. "This is important," His voice deepened with...was that seriousness? No, it couldn't have been—it just couldn't! Could it? Wash Buckler pounded his chest with a fist...and throatily let forth a beastly belch. His eyes squinted and he smacked his lips. "Hm, wow. That surprisingly tasted even better coming back up."

_Of course, _Spy Rise thought in distaste,_ how charming_. He should've expected that; it was a well-known fact that almost none of the Swappers had proper etiquette. Spy Rise always resented their atrocious acts, especially the contests.

Wash Buckler, satisfied with himself, smirked. "Sooo?"

"What?"

"How was that?"

"What? That? Revolting, obviously."

"Aw, stop, you're gonna make me blush," Wash Buckler waved a hand at the Techie.

"You are quite the confusing creature, Wash Buckler."

"I'll take that as a compliment!"

Disregarding his leader's ways, Spy Rise continued. "As I was saying, about Chester, how do you know he didn't-"

"I don't," Wash Buckler popped open another can, shrugging his shoulders. "But I trust him. It's not like he's a super evil villain or a monster or anything. You worry way too much, you know that?"

"Wash Buckler, Wash Buckler, Wash Buckler..." Spy Rise rubbed at his poor, aching forehead. The Mermasquid was always the carefree one. Unless it was any 'real' danger, he could always be caught lazing about like a lackluster dragon and his secret stash of gold. The Spyder breathed out a heavy sigh. "And to think Master Eon chose you to be leader..." he mumbled.

Wash Buckler rose a brow. "What was that?"

He had heard that? Spy Rise immediately covered up his mistake. "I said it's great that you're leader! Heh-heh, yes, that is exactly what I said!"

"Spy Rise..."

"Yes, c-captain?!"

"You're doin' the thing with your fingers again."

"Y-yes," Spy Rise hadn't even realized he was fiddling with them, nervously. "It ap-appears I am..." He put his hands behind his back. "It appears I **was**."

Giving the Techie a funny look, Wash Buckler squinted his eyes. "You feelin' okay, dude? You've been actin' a little weird ever since we left the Mainland. And you keep mumbling stuff, and you're barely even eating..." he grimaced. "Spydey, is something wrong?"

Spy Rise felt his circuits tighten in fear. Did he have a Lie Detector, too? "No, no, no, n-nothing," Ill at ease, Spy Rise shook his raised hands to and fro, "noth-nothing's wrong! Nothing!"

With mock villainy, Wash Buckler twiddled a side of his mustache. "Ohhhh, is that true?"

"Yes, yes, very true!"

"Prove it!"

"What?!" Spy Rise started to protest. "How can I prove that? I-I have nothing to prove! I'm fi-"

"Nope! No, sir! No, siree!" Wash Buckler cut him off with a supply of shouts. "I won't, will not, take that as an answer, Spy Rise!"

"Then what _will_ you take as an answer, Wash Buckler?"

Threateningly and, not to mention, melodramatically, Wash Buckler pointed his cutlass at the scout. "The troo_fffffff_..." he hissed. As soon as the Mermasquid stopped his sibilance, he dealt the air a sharp jab, spooking Spy Rise. "**FFFH!**"

"I'm not lying, and it's not '_troof_' it's-"

"**TROOF!**"

"Okay, okay, alright, troof! As you so illiterately say..."

"Yeah, that's right, and if you don't tell, I'll-I'll make you walk the plank! And do dishes back at HQ!"

"But if you make me walk the plank, obviously, I'd perish, so I wouldn't have to do-"

"No buts of top halves about it, Mister!"

Spy Rise liberated his aggravation, half-sighing and half-groaning, a grumbly twixt. He clamped his hands into fists, gritting teeth. It hadn't even been a full week yet on the Malicious Mongrel and he was already feeling sick of it. If he had hair, he'd definitely would've been ripping all of it out. Events were happening in the blink of an eye: Freeze Blade was bitten by something called a Snapper, Stink Bomb was in some weird relationship with an equally weird she-beard, Rotclaw had a son, Chester changed sides...

...and The Cardmaster was alive and well!

Not behind Traptanium walls, not defeated, nothing!

Approximately one week ago they had set off to deal with the Master of Cards, and now they were just slacking off on a ship all-day, being pursued by the one THEY were supposed to be pursuing! This mission would never get finished! This was no trek, this was torture!

"Alright, Spydey, be calm," Shakily, Spy Rise rambled to himself, "be calm, be calm. I can be calm. Of course I can be calm. Everything's going to be peachy!" He rubbed his temples. "Oh, I should really start looking into Stink Bomb's yoga classes. It works wonders for Fryno..." Mumbling reaching an indistinct end, unwillingly, gazed at Wash Buckler with a pouty look. He would never be able to tell his leader the truth...but he could fabricate another lie. Such a thing was not impossible for an intelligent agent like himself to do. Lies just came with the job!

Starting off slow, he spoke, "Okay, you got me, Wash Buckler; I surrender. I miss everyone else, all of our friends at the Mainland and I miss Tessa. I miss Cloudbreak."

"Ah-hah! I knew it, I knew it, I knew it!" Wash Buckler, victorious, exclaimed with excitement. "You tried to confuse me with your Jedi mind tricks but no one can fool me, Wash Buckler, King of the Dudes!" Giddily, he jigged and danced about on top of the barrel. "Who's the man? I'm the man! Who's the man?! I'm the man!"

Spy Rise scoffed. "I beg to differ..." he said through a corner of his mouth.

"Oh, yeah? Well, you're just jealous!" Wash Buckler waved his cutlass at the Spyder. "I always know when something is bothering my brothers. Kraken twists his tail, Rubs eats a bunch of rocks, Free does that...weird molting thing..." the SWAP Force leader put his sticky fingers to his head. "I can sense it—I can sense it all with my super, epic Mermasquid-ness." He patted the barrel next to him. "C'mon, over here, dude, you do way too much brooding! You should be _bro_-ding! With your big bro! Leader's orders!"

"_Bro_-ding? Okay, you say some unusual stuff on a daily basis, but that..." Befuddled, Spy Rise grimaced. "That wasn't even a word."

"Just get over here, webhead!"

"Coming, o' Great and Powerful King of the Dudes," Spy Rise skittered forth. Awkwardly, he clambered onto the barrel. Having tons of legs did have its disadvantages. "Do...do I have to be up here? It's kind of uncomfortable."

Wash Buckler completely ignored his inquiry. "So you miss everyone back at home, hm? At Cloudbreak? At the Mainland?"

"What? O-oh, oh right!" Spy Rise had almost forgotten about his crafty, little lie. "Yes, I miss them. Very much so!"

"Yeah," Wash Buckler put his hands on his hips, "sometimes I feel like that, too. Like you're lost in the world; this great, big world of gravity defying-ness...and enchiladas...and pies. But then you realize that it isn't so bad. I mean, you could be Kaos." He uttered a dry cackle, slapping Spy Rise across the back. His mirth was soon to slow, for it occured to him that no one was laughing with him. "That...that was a joke."

"I know..."

"Oh..."

There was a moment's pause, and a very awkward one at that.

"Yeah..."

"So..."

"Right..."

In a split second, Wash Buckler randomly piped up, much to Spy Rise's fright. "I know just what to do! It always cheers me up when I'm feeling blue...er...when I'm down in the dumps! I've got just what you need! A cure all!" Laughing, he shoved a soda can in front of the Spyder. "Here, take this. It's the last one."

Spy Rise was hesistant, but obliged and took it from him. He slanted his head to a side. "Wash Buckler, this can is already open," the secretive Skylander said with a slight cringe, "you drank from this already."

"Is that a problem?"

"Why yes, yes, that is very much a problem..." Eyes closed, he cooly and quietly replied. Taking a complete turn of events, he shot daggers at his leader and shouted. "A disgusting, vile problem!"

"Oh, c'mon," Wash Buckler dismissively waved a hand, "don't tell me you're scared of a little spit."

"What?!" Offended, Spy Rise drew back with a gasp. "Preposterous! I'm not scared!" He, at breakneck speed, defended his cause. "I'm not scared! What a silly thing to say! Hah, scared!" Putting a hand to his chest, ever so suavely, the Spyder said. "It's called being precautious. Wary, careful, mindful-"

Wash Buckler, ever so brusquely, cut in. "Picky? Finicky? Persnickity? Seriously germaphobic? Neat-freakish?"

"For the last time, I am not, as you so childishly say, a neat freak," Spy Rise rolled his eyes at the comment. Amongst the team, he was well-known for his "unusual" ways, always mocked and teased for being organized or having hand sanitizer at the ready or for double checking checklists. He didn't quite understand why they thought it was so strange; those were all perfectly normal things! For civilized people at least...

"Hey, hey, okay, whatever you say..." Playing innocent, Wash Buckler held up his hands. He stifled, or at least quieted, his mad snickers with a quick fit of coughs. "Ahem—_neat freak_—hem!"

"As I said before, it's called being precautious. P-R-E-C-A-U-T-I-O-U-S. It's something that you should really start looking into it, Wash Buckler." He rose an index finger, a trope all Techies performed before saying something factual, though others, so ignorantly, called it 'spewing science'. "Saliva can be full of dangerous bacteria! And I bet that this very soda can is riddled with the infectious invaders, on the inside and out, prepared to silently spread their sickness..." Spy Rise shuddered in horror. "Those fiends..."

But Wash Buckler only found amusement in his worry, and his scientific facts, giggling. "You're crazy, man. Cr_aaa_zy. You should feel honored being able to drink from the same soda I, your great leader, first ever SWAP Force member, backwashed in. Legends say that Mermasquid spit brings good luck and fortune. I'm not even lying here; that's the truth."

Breathing out his frustration, Spy Rise tightened his grip on the soda can. "I'm. Being. Precatious."

"And there's no reason to be precautious. The only thing you should be worried about are cooties, 'cause that's serious business, man," Wash Buckler put a hand on the Spyder's shoulder. "We're brothers, bros, and brothers share the same spit. That's a scientific fact...I think."

Spy Rise furrowed his brows. "I'm confused; since when are we brothers?"

"Wh_aaa_t? Wha-we're definitely brothers! We've always been brothers!" Wash Buckler had acted as if that was the strangest thing he'd ever head. "What chu talkin' 'bout, Phyliss?"

"My name's not Ph-"

"We're all brothers!" Here, Wash Buckler started to count on his fingers. "Doomie and Rubs are my rock 'n roll brothers, Stinks is my skunk brother, Freeze and Trap are my kitty brothers, Loopsy's my owl bro-"

"No, like actual brothers," Spy Rise cut his leader off. "Like..." His words descended into a slow murmur, as he noticed Wash Buckler's blank expression. A grimace rippled upon Spy Rise's golden face, memories recollecting. Wash Buckler had always referred to his fellow Skylanders as brothers and sisters. Sometimes, Spy Rise wasn't quite sure if his leader was actually being serious; he wasn't quite sure if he knew the difference.

The Mermasquid stared at the Techie like an innocent puppy, befuddled. His purple eyes were lost, but he didn't say a word. Spy Rise turned away; he would only confuse his leader further. Spy Rise let out a sigh once more. _And maybe sadden him_, he thought with a frown. There was no use in resisting further. "Alright, but I'm not doing this for you, Wash Buckler, I'm doing this to prove a point." He would just have to go with the grudging Option B: humor Wash Buckler.

"Good man," Instantly, at that comment, Wash Buckler's mustache curled up as he smiled. "Now, go on, prove your point."

Spy Rise showed no fear on the outside, but on the inside he just felt like tossing his cogwheels. Ingesting millions of pathogens definitely wasn't on his to-do list, but, unfortunately, he'd just have to make some arrangements. A shudder shocked his circuits, but he was not going to give up, he was not going to surrender, for he was a Skylander. With a stiff lip, he shook his head free from second thoughts and finally raised the can to his mouth...sipping at the fizzy juice.

He had not been entirely fond of soda, it was horribly sticky and sugary, but this one was different. A good different. In fact, he actually liked it. No, more than like, he loved it! Forget about germs; this was amazing!

"Sooo?" Wash Buckler asked, curiously, as he watched his Tech teammate quaff. "How is it? How is the evil germ-infestedness?"

Stopping momentarily, Spy Rise hid his ever-growing smile with a fake scowl. Deadpan, he replied as coldly as he could. "Like putrid slime slithering down my throat."

Wash Buckler fit a sly smirk onto his face. "Well, if you don't like it..." As slow as a turtle, he reached for the can in the spy's hands.

"No!" At the speed of a Sugarbat out of the Underworld, Spy Rise pushed it away with a shout. Noting Wash Buckler's surprised face, he gave a sheepish snicker. "I mean...Positively repulsive!"

"Yeah, okay," Wash Buckler rolled his eyes. "Now, where were we? Hmrmm...oh, right, right! The homesickness-unsickness cure!" He looked at his wrist. "And we're right on time, too."

Organic beings were so utterly mindboggling; even Spy Rise's incredible intellect could not comprehend such confusing ways. "Y-you don't wear a watch. And unsickness isn't a word."

"There's a method to my madness, webhead."

"One that I have yet to see..."

Wash Buckler collared his clever companion. "Let me show you something amazing, Spy Rise. Something special. Something...sunny."

Spy Rise asked with slight anticipation. "Is this an 'I Spy' game?"

"No, no, no," Wash Buckler shook his head, "this is something w_aaaaa_y better."

Better than 'I Spy'? Unbelievable! Impossible! And...slightly intriguing. Spy Rise couldn't deny of his perking interest. How could anything beat his favorite game in the whole, wide, whimiscal world? "What...what is this _way better_ game?"

Wash Buckler gave an amused snort. "It's not a game, silly, spider goose. It's better than a game." He pointed skyward with his sword. "There."

"There?" asked Spy Rise, squinting. "The clouds? The sky? That's all I see; that's all we see everyday. This is **Sky**lands."

"No, there! Right there!"

Spy Rise looked cross-eyed at his leader. What was he pointing at? After one-hundred years protecting a volcano, fighting villainous monsters, thwarting Empress Kalamity's plans, and, worst of all, dealing with his troublesome teammates, had the Mermasquid finally gone mad? Spy Rise knew it'd happen sooner or later; it had probably just been too much to handle. "What? What are you talking about?"

"There!"

Curiously, flipping down his eye gear, Spy Rise inspected the sky. Nothing, nothing special, as expected. There was nothing sunny, either. It had just started to rain on and off yesterday. In fact, the sky seemed like it wanted to pick back up too, for the clouds were almost as bleak and dreary as Hex's immortal, monotonous mood. "I can't see anything; it's too cloudy out."

"Well, yeah, it's not gonna happen immediately. You just gotta wait. Wait...and wait...and wait..."

Spy Rise had just had about enough of waiting. For the past few days, he just felt like self-destructing, exploding into a million, tiny bits. He was a sensible, young man, but even he could get a little antsy at times. The spy folded his arms. "Now?"

"No..."

"Now?"

"Nuh-uh..."

"Now?"

"Negatory."

"N-"

"_Here comes the sun..._"

Spy Rise lifted up his optics, showing his raised brows. "What?"

"_Here comes the sun, do-do-do-do..._" sang Wash Buckler, playfully poking at his teammate.

"The sun? There is no..." In that moment, Spy Rise's face went from impatient disbelief to absolute amazement. "...sun."

Darkness fell to brightness. Puffy, white clouds strolled about the strata, cool cascades of beautiful blue splashing the sky. The ascending sun gleamed light across the clear waters, greeting all of Skylands' with a smile. An awesome radiance sprung into the new, crisp air and sunny streams spread throughout. The transition had almost reminded him, Spy Rise, of the enchanting Illuminator back at the elves' Winter Keep; never could he forget such a wondrous light, such a memory. It felt like he was reliving it!

The simple shine of the risen sun's beauty made all the weariness in Spy Rise's eyes vanish within thin air. All of his bottled up agitation, all of his stress, they too left, vanquished by pure amazement. "For once, I can agree with you..." he breathed. "It...it truly is magnificent."

"Yep," Wash Buckler agreed with an exhale, "this is the secret cure-all cure: sit back, relax, grab a soda, and lil' lady Sunny will take care of everything else."

"It's like...it's like a giant weight has been lifted off my shoulders."

"Mhm-hm," Wash Buckler leaned his back to the rusted rail of the Mongrel. "I learned this here trick from pure experience, just a little somethin' I made up for those really bad days. Feelin' depressed? Cure-all. Feelin' tired? Cure-all. Feelin' mad? Cure-all. Feelin' _homesick_? Cure-all. Cool, huh?"

"Cool?" Spy Rise stammered in shock and awe. "Th-this is great! Unbelievable, even!"

Wash Buckler nodded. "Nothing get's better than this, bud. Really puts things in perspective, huh?"

"I-I..." Spy Rise started. He tapped the side of the can in his hands. "I have fond memories of days like this."

"Days before the Splitting?"

"D-days..." Spy Rise looked out in the beyond, staring into space. "...before everything. Father used to show me the sunrise. We'd leave the laboratory just to get a look at it. We would wait and wait and wait...until it arrived. It was so beautiful, so enchanting. Everyday, every morning. He'd even treat me to ice cream, afterwards."

"What type of ice cream?" inquired Wash Buckler, out of the blue.

Usually, strict Spy Rise would've said that he was getting off-topic, just blabbering irrelevantly, but ecstatic Spy Rise was certainly someone else. "Oh, it was amazing! Neapolitan, my favorite! Freeze-dried!"

"So, wait, it was like space ice cream? That's a thing? For realsies?"

"Oh, ho, ho, it's a delicious thing, Wash Buckler, a very delicious thing. They usually come in little cubes, but we used to just molecularly blast them apart into delectable dots."

"Woah..." Wash Buckler awed. "That sounds epic, dude..."

"It was awesome!"

"Fathers must be pretty cool, huh?"

"Yes, they're the great..." A grim grimace replaced Spy Rise's shining smile. He hadn't realized what he had been rambling on about until it was too late. "est..." His circuits tugged, tightened, and his mechanical heart sank. "Sorr-sorry...sorry about that, Wash Buckler. I didn't-"

"Pssh," Wash Buckler simply shrugged away the thought, "whatever, man. It's fine. They're gone, long gone. I've got fifteen, alive brothers to worry about. Mouths to feed, fights to break up, problems to solve, lessons to teach, and what have you."

In such a situation, Spy Rise couldn't quite tell if that was a lie or if that was actually sincere. Wash Buckler never truly talked of his past families. Yes, plural, for he had two, biological and foster. He never knew his real parents. A bunch of smelly, scruffy Seadogs was the only family he really had in his inkling days.

Eventually, Master Eon sought him out, one-hundred years passed and...

...he never saw them again, thanks to Mount Cloudbreak.

Wash Buckler was the only survivor of his crew.

_What a horrible childhood_, Spy Rise thought. As a matter of fact, nearly all his teammates had unfortunate origins. Raised by a kooky, circus crew, abandoned, mindlessly devouring a mountain for years, created only to slave away for a careless wizard, labeled an 'accident' by his own people...

He couldn't imagine just being...dumped, unloved. "No, I'm serious, I shouldn't have-"

"You're a peach, baby bro, but I'm fine, honestly. Doesn't really bother me anymore. It's in the past, y'know?"

"Y-yes," Spy Rise still felt terrible, a catch in his voice as he spoke, "I understand." When he sighed, his whole body slumped, like a broken toy.

Once again, the whole world gave pause; if even possible, it was more awkward than before. Only the squawking of seafowl and the whoosh of gentle waves stopped the silence. To Spy Rise, it had seemed as if everything had went still...until Wash Buckler nudged his shoulder, "Hey, webhead."

Spy Rise, startled, turned to him with bewilderment upon his face. "Wha-what?"

"Remember that time when Trap Shadow had to wear that weird, cone thingy?"

At the mentioned image, Spy Rise couldn't help but crack a smile. "I-it..." He barely stuffed down his snickers. The sight of the brutish, bulky feline with such a stupid accessory was absolutely hilarious! They, the SWAP Force, had laughed for weeks and weeks on end at the hunter, whose looks had been downgraded to nothing but a little kittycat. Though even with the loss of all dignity, wearing a cone of shame, Trap Shadow didn't lose his savage snappiness and lashed out whenever possible. "It was certainly something. That thing barely even fit him."

"Oh, and remember when we all took care of that poor,_ wittle_ fox-kit?"

"How could I forget? The memory still haunts me..." Tessa didn't know a thing; being a father was much more difficult than being a Chieftess. Looking after the village of Woodburrow was nothing, absolutely nothing, compared to looking after a bubbling, babbling, burbling baby. The torturous, little hellions had to be fed, bathed, changed, entertained...The SWAP Force had learned that the hard way when they stumbled across a straying infant, who they named Junior. However, giving the same child away was just as travailing as taking care of one. "But she was cute, I'll give her that."

Wash Buckler continued. "And that one Guy's Night? W-with all the crazy roleplaying? With the funny hats?"

Spy Rise scoffed. "Gateways and Gnorcs is way too complicated, even for me. I still don't understand why we had to wear such ludicrous attire." Hoot Loop had dragged them in for a wild ride with the popular, fantasy game of spellcasting, dragonslaying, and all-around nerdy craziness. At first, they had no idea what they were playing, but that only made it all the more entertaining. At the end, it was all mayhem, absolute and utter mayhem. To put it simply, cards were slung, insults were thrown, and many bonds were broken...for only about a hour.

Wash Buckler smirked, "And when we all fell in love with Snowball, Rufus' assistant?"

"Yes, quite," Spy Rise breathed out a wistful sigh. Snowball was dressed to kill, always. Beauty could've been her name. Like a princess, she walked with grace. Her eyes sparkled like diamonds, her cuddly, white fur was a soft as a lamb's pelt and her furry face was as adorable as baby panda. Night Shift had seen no interest in the Mabu, but everyone else, however, were head over heels. Love made people do strange things. The SWAP Force, as expected, were no different. They were at each other's throats, trying to make each other look bad, showing off, all to win the affections of a girl. Unfortunately, Snowball was...not who they expected. Many stomach contents were emptied that day...

"Yeah, I try to forget that too..." Wash Buckler admitted with a cringe. Closing his eyes, with a squirm, he shuddered. "Eeeugh..."

Spy Rise gave a snort. "I can't believe you almost kissed-"

"Bu-bu-bu! No! No! **NO!**" Wash Buckler sliced a hand through the air. "Do not bring that up ever again! **DO NOT!**"

"You were the one who brought it up in the first place," Spy Rise laughed like mad, holding his stomach. "Ohoho! My circuits!"

"Laugh it up, neatnik," Turning away, Wash Buckler mumbled. "Laugh it _all_ up!"

"I am!" Spy Rise just couldn't help himself. He cackled like an evil warlock. "Oh my goodness! I'll always remember _that_! Hoohoo!" Calming down, wiping an oily tear from his eyes, he exhaled out the rest of his mirth. "That won't ever get old..."

"It's gotten old." Wash Buckler said in a clipped reply. "Very old."

Now it was Spy Rise's turn. He piped up. "Oh, and remember when Freeze Blade was leader and we all had to dress up as girls because he wanted to be apart of that Girls Only party and we all had to put on wigs and lipstick and eyelashes and stuff balloons-" His words came to a crashing stop. "You don't—" he sighed—"remember any of that, do you?"

"Nn..." Wash Buckler could only blink. "No..."

"Right, right, you were on some mission with the other leaders," Spy Rise nodded to himself. "You temporarily made Freeze Blade leader, which is most likely, and probably always be, the dumbest idea you ever conceived. I still can't wrap my head around it."

"What?! Wait, wait, hold up!" Wash Buckler, vigorously, shook his head. "You dressed up as a girl? You_ all_ dressed up as girls?"

"Yes, you heard correctly. We disguised ourselves as girls, ladies, females, women...Not the first time I've gussied up, actually; I am a master of disguise, you know."

"And I wasn't there?!"

"Affirmative."

"I missed that?! Aww, maaan..." Wash Buckler seemed actually pretty dejected...for a second. Immediately afterwards, he turned to Spy Rise, curiously. "So, were...were you pretty girls?"

A singsongy shout had depleted further conversation, "INCOMING!" Their attention was soon turned to a little, fiery dot in the sky.

Blast Zone. And he was coming right at them.

Spy Rise automatically took alarm, skittering away in a frenzy, trying to take cover, but Wash Buckler just stared, as happy as could be. That giddy idiot. He wasn't even fazed that a furnace knight was practically targeting him!

Despite the rickety start, Blast Zone landed as graceful as a bird. Bunches of burning bags had been in his arms. "Wash Buckler!" he exclaimed, ecstatic.

"Blast Zone! Bro-Zone! My dude!"

"My man!"

"My amigo!"

"My brother from another mother!"

Spy Rise just watched in awe as they continued their game, taken aback. It was as if they hadn't seen each other in ten millenniums. Spy Rise knew they were close, as Blast Zone had been the second Skylander to ever join the SWAP Force. They had probably been friends for quite some time. But it literally sounded as if they were speaking in some sort of alien tongue!

At the same, they slung out their hands. Had they choreographed this? Was there another dress rehearsal? Laughing, their fists met in a quick bump(a fist bump as the earthlings called it). "Fisties!" However, one fist was made of fire and the other...was not.

"Ow, ooo! Hot, hot, hot, hot!" Wash Buckler stuffed his now heated hand into his mouth. "H_aaaaaaawwww_t."

With a tut and a tsk, Spy Rise scuttled from out of the shadows, shaking his head like always. "Why would you even do that? That's not a rhetorical question; I am seriously asking starting to question your sanity."

"Can't turn down a fist bump, dude," Wash Buckler, nonchalantly, explained in between his suckling. "That'd just be plain rude."

Blast Zone greeted the Spyder. "Ah, salutations Spy Rise. I hadn't seen you sneaking around there. How's your day been? How are you fairing?"

"You know, the usual," Spy Rise waved a hand, "I just finished ingesting some potential, life threating pathogens from Wash Buckler in a caffeinated beverage. Same old, same old."

Blast Zone blinked. "Oh...well. Interesting."

"Aww, brother bonding!" Wash Buckler cooed. "I'm gettin' all gushy inside!" He furrowed his brows. "Or m-maybe it's just because I had a whole week's worth of soda. I can't really tell..." Disregarding the thought, he pointed at his deputy. "Hey, what's with the bags? I thought you said you went on a leisurely fly or something."

"I did," Blast Zone replied, "And I...went to a store. I found some snacks for everyone!"

"Uhhh..." Spy Rise squinted his eyes. "Blast Zone, did these _snacks_ happen to be on fire when you purchased them?"

The furnace knight stared at him, strangely. "On fire?" He looked down. His eyes widened in realization. "Oh, would you look at that? They _are_ indeed on fire. Well, I guess that happened. It would explain why I smell burning chocolate."

"Not to worry, fellow friends!" A sudden yip had startled all of them. "Hullo, hullo!" Chester, a bright smile streaked on his face, skipped towards them like Little Red Riding Hood. "I bought some snacks, too! Just in case!" He brandished a candy bar.

"How did he-" Spy Rise started.

Wash Buckler didn't even question the fox's random arrival. "My favorite!" he gasped. Hastily, he snatched the sweet right out of Chester's paws. "How'd-how'd you know?!"

The fluffy fox only smiled. "Magic..."

"Ohhh, you!" Wash Buckler ruffled the bandit's head fur. "I love this guy! I **love** this guy!"

Spy Rise just stared, once again. Where did Chester even come from? Where did he even go?! "Ugghh! So many confusing questions!" Groaning in aggravation, Spy Rise clawed at his head like a wild animal. "I don't understand! I always understand! Why don't I understand?!"

"Calm down, calm down," Blast Zone tried to soothe, "this is Skylands; nothing makes sense."

"I know, I know! It's just that..." Spy Rise, too agitated, breathed out. He crossed his arms. "I don't like that guy."

Blast Zone agreed, giving a nod. "The feeling seems mutual. I too have my suspicions. What do you think he's up to, Spy Rise?"

"He's only an amateur. I'm certain it's some sort of stupid divide-and-conquer scheme. How moronically generic."

"...oh." Blast Zone murmured. "Well, I actually thought he is just sucking up to find all of our deepest, darkest secrets, befriend us, betray us, and then retreat back to The Cardmaster."

"That..." Astonished, Spy Rise blinked. "...that as well. Either way, I don't like him." He reached for one of the snacks his fiery friend held...only to drop it with a screech.

"Careful, they're hot."

* * *

The reputed snakeslinger Rattle Shake was a strange sleeper. Sounds never seemed to wake him, but scents were another story. His tracking tongue was his own sleeping alarm. The simplest of scents could hit that tracker and he'd be up in a start. In the Wild West, he had learned to always be alert, no matter what. Sure, there were no craven coyotes or villainous vultures, but the dangers in Skylands were always amuck.

Something had been in the air the past nights. It was not the stench of smelly Seadogs or salty waters. Something else, something different. Pupils slit, tail quivering, tongue flickering out like rapid fire, Rattle Shake had been more than alert. Scared, maybe. Spooked, probably. Startled, of course! Such a scent was familiar with the Skylanders. On a battlefield, it would stay. Gallons or smidgins, buckets or beads, it was shed.

But Rattle Shake had never expected it to be here, on the comfort of a welcoming Skyship. The scent had came out of nowhere, earnestly, and Rattle Shake knew what it was as soon as it struck him.

Luckily, a professional doctor, and his nurse, had it all under control.

"Oh no, doctor, the patient is losing blood!"

"No, I will not lose another! Bandages, stat!"

Voices, unusual voices. Albeit, they were not entirely unrecognizable. They belonged to one person and only one person alone. A smile skimmed across Rattle Shake's scaly face. Only a talented artist would be able to disguise their voice so well.

Stink Bomb had been especially fond of a game simply called 'Doctor'. It had been something his fellow Skylander, Whirlwind, introduced to him. Though, sometimes, Flower the Artist could get a little too into character. One time he even mourned over the loss of a plush Spyro!

"Here, Doctor!"

"We must hurry!"

He had been taking care of a real patient. Not a dolly, not a Teddy Cyclops, and not an action figure.

Freeze Blade wasn't anything of the sort, but Stink Bomb seemed to know exactly what he was doing. Constantly, he would wake up in the middle of the night to check on the ailed Frost Feline. Kindly, he would check his temperature, clean his bitemark, wipe bile from his lips, and did everything a good healer would. Rattle Shake couldn't help but silently snicker every time he played out some sort of dramatic, surgeon scenario. The skunk even put on a nurse hat! What a good friend. _And an absolute goofball_, Rattle Shake thought.

Sleepy grumbles from Night Shift had soon drew Rattle Shake's attention away from his favorite show. Aggressively, the vampire snuffled and snorted in his slumber. His bat ears twitched, flicked, and rotated all in one, swift series. At first, Rattle Shake thought the vampire was just having a nightmare, like the one about the annoying army of Freeze Blades, but this was different. Definitely different.

Rattle Shake's eyes dilated into shrunken slits in horrible realization. Oh no.

Night Shift smelt blood. He smelt fresh, young blood...

And he wanted it. Now.

_¡Mierda!_ That was the first thing that went entered Rattle Shake's mind. This was not good; not good at all!

What stopped vampires? Rattle Shake recollected all his knowledge of the Undead, of vampires. Sunlight, stakes, garlic...

The rattlesnake rubbed his chin. Sunlight was not going to happen in the middle of the night, wooden stakes were out of the question, and...garlic? Rattle Shake creased his sharp eyes in thought. He was not of the Magic element; he couldn't just pull a head of garlic out of thin air. "But I can find something far worse..." he murmured to himself. His pupils trailed over to a certain, green skunk. This would actually work out after all. Listening to the many Stink Bomb scaring stories from Trap Shadow would soon pay off. Though, he wouldn't have to do much anyway; Stink Bomb was didn't exactly have nerves of steel. He didn't have scent glands of steel, either. This would be almost too easy.

Rattle Shake pried his lips, casting a quick tongue over fangs. A snake was a born predator. He often felt powerful, prideful, when others noted of his frightfulness; it was what all Undead wanted to hear. He narrowed his eyes and shook his tail. As much as he wanted to abide to Trap Shadow's Guidebook of Hunting and Scare Tactics, there was too much time to lose. Rattle Shake would have to make this quick.

1...

2...

3...

"_SSSSSSSS_TINK BOMB!" Even he had been a little surprised by his voice; that sibilant, snake lisp would just jump out whenever it wanted to. Startled, Stink Bomb, with the usual yelp, froze up. His tail struck out to a point. Like thunder following lightning, there was a squeaky noise, similar to a tiny, broken trumpet or a deflating balloon. Stink Bomb's...gaseous emissions could often sound humorous.

The smell on the other hand...

Accordingly, mumbles of dismay responded, a collective chide, "Stink Bomb..." It was the same, nagging tone they always used whenever he happened to...release. Blankets ruffled as the rest of the SWAP Force protected themselves from the stench. They muttered in annoyance,

"Oh, c'mon, you could've held that in."

"Eeesh..."

"It's the middle of the night..."

Fortunately, that was only an innocent Category Zero, a _poof_, as the Swappers had dubbed it. Why yes, they did have a secret list of classes for every type of fume; this was important! Living with a skunk was no joke. A Category Ten, a _pray for mercy_, would be more like a nuclear explosion, with a mushroom cloud and everything! That would be unspeakably, horribly horrendous...knowing how those usually caught in the blast pass out, they are never able to truly tell the tale. Now, Stink Bomb was okay with all the chides he received on a daily basis. He usually said stupid things like 'ooops' or 'those barking spiders' or 'wasn't me'.

Tonight, he wasn't saying anything.

Stink Bomb didn't even reply, too surprised to actually speak. He was practically scared speechless! Rattle Shake mouthed out 'sorry', though his friend didn't know how to reply to that either. Stink Bomb could only stare with his wide, wide eyes as big as moons, confused, startled, maybe a bit of both. One might even say he looked close to a griffin caught in a Skyship's headlights, fur risen and bushed out. A puff of excess musk spurted from the tip of his tail.

Finally, he relaxed. "Wooo..." Claw clutched to his heart, Stink Bomb breathed out and showed a sheepish smile. "Thank the—I-I thought you were the Dragons! I nearly burst a scent gland there!" He wafted his backside with the flicks of a tail. "Did_ I_ do that?" Now that was the normal Stink Bomb!

Rattle Shake was relieved too; he had almost thought he'd scared the soul out of the skunk. Thankfully, all had gone to plan. Night Shift was soundly sleeping again and no one got hurt...or had the blood slowly drained from them. Mission accomplish-

"Wait a minute..." Stink Bomb drawled in realization. Promptly, his cheeks flushed a rosy red. Through the side of his mouth, he asked. "How much...how much of that did you hear?"

"Not much..." Slyly, Rattle Shake started off with a smile. "**Doctor.**"

"Ohhhh," Stink Bomb pulled down on his eyes, "this is so much worse than the stinking Dragons."

"I apologize," Rattle Shake kept down a surplus of snickers, "I did not mean to frighten you." The candid, calm cowboy didn't lie often, but now seemed to be the right time.

"It's fine, it's fine. I-I'm not frightened. Pssh, noooo, no, no, no. No-o-o-o. **No.**" Stink Bomb wildly scrambled with words. He rubbed the back of his head. "Well, sure, I was obviously scared, but now, the musk, it's just wholly out of embarrassment. So, uh, I guess I'm fright-barrassed. You know, if that's a real thing."

"You are quite the comedian, Stink Bomb," Rattle Shake let out a little of his amusement.

"Oh...well..." Stink Bomb blinked in surprise. After clearing his throat, he reformed himself. "I am a talented artise, so, yeah, I guess I do dabble a bit in comedy. Thanks for noticing!" He, quickly, turned back to his work...only to turn back. He nearly toppled over in shock. "Kuso! Holy...how did..." Speechless. Again.

Rattle Shake had made his way over without the even slightest of slithering sounds. He flashed his fangs in a charming grin. "What is up, doc?"

Stink Bomb covered his fright with nervous laughter. "Seems like I'm not the only comedian here, hahaha! Heh..." He _really_ was jumpy. The skittish Swampskunk couldn't even find his tongue. "W-well, I-I'm just adding my final touches. His temperature has risen, which is bad news, 'cause he's covered in ice and all. He's gotten k-kinda s-s-shaky so I've se-sedated him."

_He's not the only one that's shaky,_ Rattle Shake thought. "Stink Bomb, please," In attempt to calm him, he put a hand on the skunk's shoulder, though that only made him flinch, "let me assist you."

"Oh, no, no, I'm fine. Sorry, I have disturbed your sleep, Rattle Shake."

"That is alright. I was much more interested in this...soap opera operation. May I join in?"

"Wellll," Stink Bomb considered, "you did ask nicely and I guess two is better than one. Plus, I won't sound like a maniac anymore..." He gave a giddy grin. "Welcome aboard, Scales! But first..." He handed the Bouncer a tiny bottle labeled in red letters: _Emergency_ _Sanitizer, DO NOT TOUCH, NOT FOR CONSUMPTION, GRILLA. _"I took this from Spy Rise. It makes a funny sound when you squeeze it! I usually don't care for such icky, smelly stuff, but I didn't want to infect Freeze Blade," he whispered. "Don't tell, Webs. He might just flip if he notices that it's gone."

Rattle Shake crossed his heart. "Your secret steal is safe with me."

"Good. Cleanliness is next to godliness, you know."

...what?

Was he actually being serious?

The snakeslinger stopped in midst of sanitizing his hands. He had never heard the skunk say such a thing. Stink Bomb practically avoided all cleanliness like the plague! Hygiene wasn't really a thing in his dictionary. "Do_ you_ know?"

"Of course I know!" Stink Bomb hastily defended. "I'm not a wild animal, Rattle Shake! I clean! Most of the time. Sometimes. Rarely. Barely. I brush my pearly whites and wash my paws, that's good enough. Who really needs smelly, soapy water when you can just express yourself with an all-natural scent? I mean, seriously, what is the difference between burning garbage and sweet strawberries, hm? Do you at least support the No Soap Organization? That's a thing, you know. The kits back at Woodburrow are starting a group! They might even elect me as club president!" Stink Bomb rose a shaking fist. "We shall protest until soap is swept from Skylands and showers sprinkle no more!"

Mirthfully, Rattle Shake shook his head. "You truly do have words of wisdom, Stink Bomb."

"Thank you, kind sir. I suppose, being an artist, I was just born with such prowess. Have I inspired you?"

Rattle Shake simply smiled. Stink Bomb's pretentiousness could be as strong as his smell. "We should focus on the operation."

Stink Bomb nodded in agreement. "Right, right, we'll talk about it later. So, uh, how does this—" he lifted up Freeze Blade's arm—"look to you?"

The bump from the bitemark was no longer blue. Bruised, it had turned a few shades darker. Many, many shades darker. Ugly purples and violent violets splotched the swelling spot, as if it had been evilized. Some parts even looked like bit of Darkness. The wound itself was more of a mess. Red, raw rashes clotted around the injury. Pus and blood oozed from the deep gashes. Stink Bomb looked a bit queasy, but Rattle Shake stared with a face of scaly stone. He was Undead; he had seen far worse. He knew just what a Snapper could do.

"Looks somewhat infected," Rattle Shake announced, as nonchalant as always. "Snapper bites have to be cleansed whenever possible. It will help rid of other potential problems. We need to tend more to the wound. We should try draining some of the fluids, too. You have cleaned your paws, but have you cleaned this?"

"I tried," Stink Bomb said with an exhale, "but he doesn't really like the sting of my supplies. I've tried antibiotic cream, cleaning alcohol, and some...bottled water, but he fights back. Trust me, I've had my face frozen five times already."

"What about that?"

"What about what?"

"That," Rattle Shake pointed, "that is what."

"Ohhhh, right, the herbs," Stink Bomb exclaimed. "I can't believe I forgot!"

In the far side of the first aid kit, a sundry of green, leafy plants lay. Mint leaves sprinkled on top of them. Being a Life Elemental, Stink Bomb had experience with such. Eagerly, he snatched up the sprouts, stuffing them into his mouth. "Mmm-hmm-hmm-hmm," he munched away like a bunny rabbit. His tail bounced in joy.

"Stink Bomb, aren't those for the poultice?"

In mid-crunch, the skunk stopped. "Thath's wha eym doomg," he mumbled through a mouthful of mush. Stink Bomb spat into his own paws. "There. Perfect."

Rattle Shake scrunched up his face. That was unexpected.

"Hey, don't give me that look! I'm limited on supplies here," Stink Bomb lathered the wound with his creation. "This is the natural way. I've seen Whirlwind do it all the time!"

"Well," Rattle Shake searched for the right words, "it's certainly...unique."

Stink Bomb chuckled. "Disgusting, I know. But a healer's gotta do what a healer's gotta do."

"N-no..." As he finished applying the mess, Freeze Blade shuddered. He bit his lip, shakily breathing out. "...stop...the...village..."

"Shh, shh, you'll stop that village one day, Freeze," Stink Bomb hushed. With a grin, he turned to his assistant. "Freeze Blade's been talking about a village ever since last night. Kids and their imaginations, huh?"

Rattle Shake explained, "Snapper victims can be a little...delirious; all of that venom goes to their heads. Thus, they can have strange visions. Strange, realistic visions. Freeze Blade probably lashed out at you because he was in the middle of one."

"Huh," Stink Bomb blinked, "you know a lot about Snappers, Rattle Shake. You know a lot about everything! Could you tell me more? I'm interested in learning about these...things. They're apart of nature; I should know more them."

"Hmm, well," Rattle Shake rubbed his chin. "How about..." he simpered, devilishly. "A story?"

Stink Bomb was the splitting image of _e__xcited_. Musk burst from the furs of his wagging tail, a gasp sprung from his mouth, and a grin streaked his face. He squealed out in sheer glee. "A story?! Really?! A story about you?!"

"Yes."

"A story about the Snappers?!"

"Yes."

"A story about the Wild West?!"

"Yes."

"A story about you and Snappers in the Wild West?!"

"Yes."

Animatedly, Stink Bomb's body bounced in utter bliss. He didn't even have to reply, as his bright eyes said it all: _tell me more._ Stink Bomb adored stories, all kinds of them, but thought none could compare to Shake's stories. Adorning himself with a funny accent, he exclaimed. "Yee-haw! Stories from Sheriff Shakes! Rootin' tootin'!"

Rattle Shake showed a smirk. "Let us hope not for the latter, Deputy."

"Ohhh," Stink Bomb reflected the same smile. "I'm afraid you're too little, too late, Sheriff."

It wasn't long for Rattle Shake to be assailed by an awful stench. "O-oh! My gods!" Biting his unfortunate tongue, he fanned at the air with his plumed hat.

Stink Bomb, as always, was only amused by this. Giggling, he pulled down on imaginary string. "Toot, toot!"

Half-gagging, wheezing, and laughing, Rattle Shake batted at the skunk's side, shoving him. "You, my fetid friend, are something else. Something disgusting."

Tail waggling, innocent and immature, he showed pride at the comment. "Aw, shucks, that means a lot a-comin' from you!"

"Settle down. While you're at it, settle those scent glands down, too. You tend to get a little...excited."

"That's a big 10-4, acknowledged, settled down," Stink Bomb saluted, voice deepening. "All clear, sir. No gas leaks here."

"Little loco," Rattle Shake ruffled his teammate's head, taking him by surprise. "Always cutting up, like a child."

Stink Bomb had a whole collection of random voices. He could almost impersonate anything and anyone. The Life Skylander was especially skilled, just by nature. In that aspect, the skunk seemed almost as magical as Mount Cloudbreak. "Okay, okay," he slapped his tail onto the ground like a beaver and struggled free from the snake's wrath. "Mess up my fur, I'll mess up your snake schnoz. The only thing I cut is cheese, that's figuratively, not literally because I'm lactose intolerant so dairy messes up my sensitive stomach and causes painful problems and a whole bouquet of disaster but that's besides the point! I am no child."

"I am a man! M for Mature, M for Man!" He slapped a paw to his puffed chest. Wash Buckler was rubbing off on him quite a bit. "I am one-hundred percent MAN!" As if to totally contrast that comment, he turned to the snake storyteller, tucked his legs in, wrapped his arms around them, and scooted forth. His eyes glowed of wonder and curiosity. "Is this a happy story? I'm not really fond of unhappy stories. They're all dark and gloomy, like Night Shift's heart, considering he even has one."

"Do not fret, Stink Bomb. It is a surprise," After putting a clenched fist to his mouth and clearing his throat, he started. "Our story begins when I was only a young niño, trying to slither in the...tracks of my father, a talented torero, a barbarous bullfighter, a mighty matador! He was the best fighter our town had ever seen, the absolute best! As I knew not of the Giants, my father was _my hero. _My father was_ everyone's _hero, actually. He saved our town countless times from all sorts of bovine; everything from yakety yaks to crazy cows to buff bison! The flash of his fangs could stop anything in its tracks! It is said that when he was born, the shake of his tail echoed throughout all of Skylands. Whatever the beast, my papa could take it. Until...it happened."

"What happened?"

"A new threat arose. They were big, beefy, and pure evil. These were no dairy cows, my friend," Rattle Shake lined the brim of his hat with a dark hiss. "They called themselves the Black Hat Gang, a villainous herd who revolted and rebelled against farmers trammeling all that get in the way of their utter madness. Those heifers were wild beasts, untamed, unchained, unleashed. My father wished to be the first one to defeat them. To some folk it seemed like a death wish, but to him, he thought it would be as easy as milking a cow. The townsfolk believed in him, my mother believed in him, and I believed in him.

"His wish soon came as a stampede stormed through our village. Hundreds upon thousands of bovine stamped the sands, ranging from yakety yaks to crazy cows to buff bison. The cud-chewers terrorized the town! When it seemed like all hope was lost, my father sprung into action...only to be stomped into submission. We were ransacked, burglarized. To this day, I have no idea why a cow needs gold, but it happened. They stole some of the livestock, too. Our happy, little town was now a sad, sad wreck of rubble. Homes were hobbles and barns were beat down. The legendary days of Bullseye, my father, came to a bitter close. He lost his fans, he lost his respect, he lost his reputation, he lost...I think he might've broken a few teeth, and, most of all, he lost the love of his life. That had been the cherry on top of the sundae, the icing on the cake, the-"

"The pretty, pink ball on a Hanami dango!"

"Yes, the cherry on the top of the sundae, the icing on the cake, **and** the pretty, pink ball on a Hanami dango. Losing her was what hurt him the most. He became depressed, and drowned out his sorrows by drinking them away. He stayed in his little home, as a lonely hermit. Bullseye had no interest in anything; he said he just didn't have the time for it...for me. It was as if I was a ghost. Abuelita called him a lazy, stupid scalebag, daily, but I never lost hope. I was the only one who still believed in him, for I was his son, his biggest fan. I still wanted to be a torero, to follow my family's legacy, but he forbid me and I...was given a job. No, much to my disappointment, it was not cow-wrangling or bull-beating. I had chores to do. I cleaned hooves, I milked udders, I forked haystacks, I...moved manure."

"Woah, that job must've stunk. Hah! Heheh, get it?" Stink Bomb elbowed him. "Get it? Because of the manure?" Making bad jokes was one of his favorite pastimes.

"Stunk, it did. I was just a normal, ordinary stableboy, living an unexciting life. Cleaning the coops and brushing fur was not the life for me. That was the life of a farmer, not the life of a bullfighter. I wanted to prove this to my father, someway, somehow. That is when _they_ arrived. Out of the blue, our livestock started to drop like flies. Sheep, pigs, cows, they all broke out with horrible blotches of black, blue, and purple, as if they were decomposing from the inside out. They did not act like themselves; they attacked each other, some even attacked me. Carla, my favorite calf, hadn't been like them. She too fell ill, but did not fight. Instead, Carla the Calf stayed all by her lonesome, huddled up in the same corner every day. She couldn't eat and refused to drink from her mother's milk. I had to force her, but even then she just couldn't stomach it. Something was seriously wrong with her and the other animals. I was determined to find out what was causing them so much distress...and I found it sooner than I thought. They had all been nested."

"Nested?"

"She, and the others, had been the home to deadly, putrid parasites, those that are now called...Snappers!"

"No, not the Snappers!"

"Yes, the Snappers! **Baby** Snappers! Horrible things that burrow deep within soft flesh, waiting, growing. They thrived off of her, feeding on her precious nutrients. I couldn't see her wounds until I flipped her over. It was not a pretty sight. They'd practically drilled into her soft belly with their wicked teeth, the awful worms. She left the herd on the green pastures to stay in the stables, because she did not want to harm the others. She hid away from me, because she knew of what could come. I know it sounds dumb, Stink Bomb, but she was _protecting_ me. A _cow_ was protecting me. We had to put her out of her misery."

Stink Bomb put a paw to the Bouncer's back, dipping his head. "Mother Nature has a little patch of heaven for her, I'm sure."

"Gracias," Rattle Shake said with a sigh. He looked into space. "It was for the best, as those creatures died with her. Most farmers wouldn't care, they would just shrug death off, as if it didn't matter. But that was_ my_ calf. I made a promise to myself, to the animals. I promised I would slay all of the Snapper scum! Father only laughed at me. Abuelita did the same. But I would prove them wrong...for a demon had been in the house tonight. A male Snapper. A bull. One of the nastiest, ugliest, meanest-looking things I had ever come across. He looked a bit like you, Stink Bomb."

"Hey!"

"I kid, I kid..." Rattle Shake snickered. "Mostly."

Stink Bomb punched him in the arm. "Burro."

Rattle Shake played him at his own game. "Baka."

"Just tell the story!"

"Okay, okay. Now, where was I?"

"You were talking about that handsome devil."

"Ah, yes, he was a creepy-looking beastie, with milky, beady blue eyes, oozing, bubbling saliva coating his slimy lips, and those teeth..." he shuddered. "They were like the points of jagged mountains, like the spikes of a broken cactus. Hideous, mind you, not handsome," Here, the snakeslinger flexed. "Although, I suppose, not everyone can have my dashing, good looks..." He wasn't usually so cocky and arrogant, like most of the other Swappers, but he _did_ like to toy. To him, poking fun at Stink Bomb was just entertaining!

"Lover boy," Stink Bomb playfully gibed.

Rattle Shake continued. "This creature went by countless names like, Diablo, the Harbinger of Death, Malefor's Monster, but I just called him..." His eyes narrowed in a menacing manner. "**Bob.**"

"Chc-ckh..." Immediately, Stink Bomb snuffled a snicker. He rose a paw to his mouth, making noises like crackling fireworks or static from a robot. "Ba-bob? B-O-B? Like, as in...Bob? Y-you're-" he started to snort. "not joshing?"

"I do not josh."

"Is it okay to lau-" His question was cut off by his own mad chortles. "**BOB!** **HAHAHA!**" He put on a face of mock despair. "Oh, no, look out! It's Bob! The horror! Ancients save us all! His name is the same backwards! Have mercy!" Laughing up a fit, he flopped back, kicking his feet. "Whoo-hoo-hoo! BOB!"

"Bob was the name of the Dragonbunny he devoured whole. Its collar hung out of his mouth."

Stink Bomb froze.

Devilishly, Rattle Shake gave his signature smirk. "Just joshing. I called him Bob because it was the scariest thing I could think of."

"Onara atama! You farthead!" Stink Bomb punched him in the arm.

"Yes, I am a very handsome one," Rattle Shake nodded. "We were awoken early by screams of terror. Everyone's home had been overrun with Desert Snappers. These creatures were smart; they had attacked while we slept. But my family had the worst of it, for we were in the midst of Bob. He was the one who caused this. He brought all of his horrible hatchlings into town. **He** was the one who poisoned my livestock, my Carla. Everyone hid and ran, but I stayed calm and stared right into the blind eyes of Bob. To my surprise, it was not much of a showdown. I only gave him, and his evil spawns, them what they wanted: meat. Slithering, scaly meat. Snappers are water serpents, I had realized. I turned all of them against each other with the simple shake of my tail. Bob was eaten by his own children. The town rejoiced! It was a miracle! No one knew it was I who did it...except for my papa. For the first time in what seemed like forever, he smiled. No, he didn't just smile, he grinned, beamed! I had finally made him proud, Stink Bomb! He praised me! Hahah! With this new gift, he sent me off to be a hero! Not a talented torero, a barbarous bullfighter, or a mighty matador..." Pursing his lips at the skunk, he winked. "But a _sexy_ snakeslinger..."

"Gag me with a spoon, Romeo," Stink Bomb snorted. He was still fond of using such phrases, for whatever reason. Resting his head in his paws, sitting crisscross, he sighed. "Sensei would've never done that with me. When I correctly performed a kata, the only praise I got was a new spider in my bed. But I guess that's just what I get for having a ninja master as a foster father."

With that, Rattle Shake was intrigued. He rose a scaly brow. "Stink Bomb?"

"Yes?"

"What was your family like?"

Stink Bomb flinched at the sudden question. He turned to him with great surprise. Fur bushed, all fluffed up, the skunk looked around. "Are you, uh..." He pointed to himself. "Talk-talking to me?"

Amused, Rattle Shake quivered his tail. "Of course, who else would I be speaking to?"

"Someone who had an actual family. Like Freeze Blade," On a paw, Stink Bomb started to count. "He had a working father, a loving mother, a whole litter of brothers and sisters, a crazy uncle..."

"I want to hear from you," Rattle Shake collared him. "It is about time you tell me some stories, amigo."

"Well...oh, okay! Sure!" Stink Bomb replied with alacrity. "Well, there was the time I got my head stuck in a tree, then there was the time I realized that I had no ears, and just yesterday I-"

"No, no, no, where did you live? Who was apart of your family? What happened before you became a Skylander?"

"I scared away my Sensei with my spray. The end. Backstory over. Fin. Done!"

"There is more than that. There has to be more than that, Stink Bomb," Rattle Shake, warmly, smiled at his friend. "I wish to know. You know you can tell me anything; anything at all. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"W-well..." Stink Bomb grimaced and gave a little whimper. His tail lowered into a droop, like a wilted, dying flower. "Okay, but I'm not a really good storyteller," He heaved a humongous sigh. Tapping his nails together, absentmindedly, the Swampskunk forced a half-hearted smirk. "I guess...I guess I'll just start from the beginning. So, uh, once upon a time, there was a small village of..." Aggravated, he gnashed his teeth and growled. "You know what, I'll just start like this. I was a skunk born with defective glands, so everyone in my village already-"

Rattle Shake shook his head. "That is just an overstatement. Everyone couldn't have hated you."

"Oh, no, they hated me. They _loathed_ me, actually. Welllll, all except for my parents, they were...decent."

"Stink Bomb..."

"Okay, okay, I kid, I kid! They loved me even when I was a utter disappointment to my kind. My parents protected me, because, apparently, I was some sort of _terrible_ curse among my village. In nature, stuff like deformities aren't really accepted. A zebra without stripes isn't a zebra, a Kangarat without its hop isn't a Kangarat, and a skunk without its stink isn't a skunk at all. If anything, it's more like a weasel...or something. But it could've been way worse; I hear in the Fire Claw Clan they used to **EAT** unworthy cubs. Luckily for me, I was only...abandoned. They took me from my parents and dropped me off at-"

"Your master's home?"

"An orphanage," Stink Bomb simply said, "Well, now that I think about it, they didn't drop me off...they threw me into the door. My endless crying was what alerted everyone inside. Many stepped out...only to run back inside. I frightened them. I frightened everyone. I didn't know it yet, but Swampskunks were just as feared as The Darkness. They were terrified! Shrieking, screaming, wailing! Only one was woman enough to take me in: Momma Tufts, a fluffy fox. While everyone else saw me as a rancid rat, she saw me as an innocent, lost soul, who just wanted to be loved. They all thought she was crazy, which she was, but she was good crazy. As I grew, Mama Tufts became my only friend. The other children weren't like me...because I was a skunk. When you're classified under _vermin_, no one really wants to be around you. Some supervisors even moved me away, afraid that I would infect the others. I was kind of what you would call an ugly duckling. On the bright side, I got breakfast in bed!

"Life was somewhat good...until the people came," Stink Bomb huffed. "Momma Tufts always said I'd be adopted, taken to a nice home with nice parents. Unfortunately, that never happened. Happy couples would stroll in, look around, and find the perfect child. I was not considered a 'perfect child'; I was a skunk. I was the one who was given strange looks, avoided, skipped over. No one wanted a skunk for a child. Maybe next year, Momma always said, but it was never true. I soon realized that I was practically in a pet store. They only wanted the cute, fluffy ones, not the smelly, stinky ones. I heard every, single one they said; everyone thought I was disgusting, hideous, vile! It was as if they were simply shopping for clothes, picking and choosing! No one wanted me! At six years of age, I was fed up."

"You ran away, didn't you?"

"As fast as I freaking could. I didn't need that orphanage; I was wasting my life away in there. I could find the perfect home on my own! Or so I thought. With high hopes, I traveled from village to village...only to have those hopes crushed. Everyone was disgusted. Everyone was afraid. I went everywhere I could on foot. I scared even attacking trolls away. And they were trolls! Why did I make everyone run? What **WAS** I? I-I just thought I was a fox."

"A smelly, green fox with no nose and ears? R_iii_ght."

"Ma never told me I was a skunk. She didn't want me to know; she just wanted me to live a happy life. I didn't even know I had my...gift then, not until I met...him."

"Him? Your master, I presume?"

"No, a cat. A cub. A rude, crude, snarky, stupid-"

Rattle Shake started to snicker, for he knew immediately who it was. "Trap Shadow."

"Hai," Stink Bomb folded his arms, "the cat. He didn't change at all, honestly. We've kinda known each other for a while. It was sort of a friends yet enemies thing. We were never besties, but we were never nemeses either. I just knew him as the shady kid who strayed in the shadows and he knew me as the little skunk that couldn't spray. He introduced me to everything about the forests. What's edible and what's not, which trees to rub against, how to fight squirrels..." he exhaled. "For an irritable clawlicker, the brat was pretty clever. I really don't know what I would've done without him. With my new knowledge, I lived a carefree life in the forest, surrounded by nature. I didn't exactly have a home to go to. I made the best of what I had. I curled up with leaves, I drank from ponds, and I foraged for berries. I was a nature hobo. And I was okay with that.

"One night, nestled up in my leaf pile, I was awoken by strange noises. Strange, loud noises. I scurried up the nearest tree to take a peek. In the local village, something was happening. Fire blasted into the sky, sparking up here, there, and everywhere! They were all the colors of the rainbow! Roars from crowds swarming the streets drowned out all the other sounds of my forest. They were thrilled! Master Blister, Master Blister, they chanted! I squealed. Master Blister had been my absolute idol! He was the best martial artist in the whole, wide world! He was awesome! Spectacular! Enthralled, intrigued, amazed, I knew I had to get better look. Unfortunately, the only thing I got a better look at was the ground...because I hit the ground.

"As soon as I woke up, I hit the ground...I hit the ground running! Master Blister was out there somewhere and I had to meet him! Back at the orphanage, black-and-white, knockoff films about karate and kung fu were all I used to watch. There was _Karate Kit 12, Enter Da Dragonfly..._" He sighed wistfully. "They empowered me, they pushed me on. Sure, they were cheesy as heck and had incredibly bad acting, but they were my inspiration. Being able to do those cool moves was my dream! Taking down bad guys, doing triple backflips, punching through walls! It all sounded awesome!"

"So you pursued your dream..." Rattle Shake nodded.

"You bet! I began my search for the legendary master. I went through Mudwater Hollow, over the Frostfest Mountains, caught rides on Sky Trains, snuck onto ships, hid in crates! I..." Stink Bomb scratched the back of his head with a laugh. "I became lost. I really had no idea where I was going. Everyone had different directions. Some people said this way, other people said that way. Some days I just felt like giving up and turning back, but the poster of Master Blister in my paws urged me on. It was talking to me! He was talking to me! I think...I had too many berries that day, heh. Nevertheless, onward I went! Onward I went...into danger! Just my luck.

"At first, I just thought they were Trap Shadow's friends. Yeah, they weren't. They were not rude, crude, snarky, or stupid. Well, they _were_ rude, but nothing else. These guys were savages! I found myself being ambushed by a hoard of snarling, slobbering sabertooths. Er...saberteeth. Whatever, they were neon cats with dumb buckteeth. They really, really wanted to kill me, or mug me, or...I still really don't know what they wanted. Maybe a hug? I didn't have the chance to give them one, since, well, they were chasing me for whatever. Trap Shadow_ did_ want to kill me when we first met; I guess it was just in their nature. Scared out of my mind, I ran as fast as my little legs could go. I didn't know it, but those jerks were leading me right into a trap! I didn't know it, but they were actually...helping me.

"High up in the trees, a shadowy figure lurked, waiting to strike: Master Blister! Kicking, punching, throwing, he took out each and everyone one of them before my very eyes! Haha, he sure showed them. Those cats never knew what hit them! But when I blinked, he was gone. I couldn't believe it! I had lost my only chance! Or so it seemed. Someone had tapped me on my shoulder. I shrieked, fighting the air around me with flying paws. A hunter? A monster? A monster hunter? Nope. Master Blister. He was quite frightening in person, clothed in darkness, eyes blank, the most ninja-est of ninjas. Amused by my moves, he gave me a reassuring pat on the head. From that, Master Blister already knew I was...skittish. I unveiled my whole story to him. Turns out, he was looking for a new apprentice! I was looking for a new home! It all worked out perfectly! Or-"

"So you thought," finished Rattle Shake.

"You're catching on. From that day, Master Blister knew I was...high-strung. I spent most of my time looking behind my back...I spent _all_ of my time looking behind my back. Master Blister used his student's weaknesses against themselves. For me, Sensei's teaching methods were all just scare tactics! He was just full of surprises. As I slept, during training, even in the bathroom, Master Blister had tons of tricks and treats waiting for me. My days were full of nothing but jumpscares. Even my birthdays involved something scary. I was starting to realize why he was looking for a new apprentice; his last one ran away! They **all** ran away! I had thoughts about sneaking off too, seeing as it wouldn't be the first time. But, a part of me didn't want to leave. I didn't want to upset Sensei; it wouldn't be honorable. I bet you know where this is going, huh?"

"Category Supernova."

"Master Blister had gone missing. Poof! Without a trace! Just gone. I was terrified already. Where did Sensei go? I searched every crook and nanny of the house. He wasn't meditating in the dojo, he wasn't cooking in the kitchen, he wasn't sleeping! Frantic, I searched outside, asking my woodland friends, shouting his name, and climbing the trees. I was so afraid. Had the Dragons got him? Did the bandits come back? I wasn't afraid; I was terrified. Did he leave me?! Had I failed him? I was confused and scared. Lost. I did what any other child would do in such a situation...I began to cry. And then there was a rustling noise. Hopeful, I whirled around. The bushes were shaking. Master? Sniffling, I went over to investigate. I fell right into his freaking trap. Boom! Wearing the scariest monster mask I had ever seen, Master Blister burst from the bramble!

"Like always, I screamed. My legs quivered, my tail ruffled, my fur spiked. The usual. My stomach hurt. **Not** the usual. At first, I had thought it was because I didn't have breakfast. Nope. My glands were going wild. Definitely not the usual. My skunky instincts had awoken! And then..."

"You far-"

"Nooo, I released a _pungent cloud of vapor_. There's a difference. Master Eon always said it fancily."

In the words of the acclaimed author Onk Beakman, "The smell could kill. Birds dropped from the sky like feathery flies. By the dozen. they fell into twitching, suffocating masses. Unfortunate crops withered away into death. Blinded pilots crashed into each other. Every flower in every field lost their beautiful petals, stained with a sickly color. Mabu, foxes, and bears ran into their homes, but nothing could save the stench, nothing. Even skunks themselves passed out! Everything went green. A terrible, terrible green."

"I created the Stinky Swamp. Wildlife beautifully adapted to the atmosphere. I created a place for tourists; it's the number one, best place for fish, so that's an achievement on my part. Or should I say my f—how many of these jokes have I made? I have to start writing these down. Stealthie's gonna love 'em! Anyway, on my travels to teach Kung Fume, I eventually met Trap Shadow again. We weren't frenemies, we were purely enemies. Why? Well, Trap Shadow had been the prized hunter of his tribe; he never lost a kill, always came home with a big, meaty feast...of my woodland friends! He and his people caged helpless, poor animals. I knew I had to do something about it. I started fighting back...with pranks. Being a ninja has its perks. Hahah, those were good times. They were so dumb!" Stink Bomb fitted himself a doofy voice. "Duhhh, where did that sound come from? How'd that get there? What's that smell? Durrr, why am I unconscious?

"Those boneheads called me a cryptid: a creature whose existence is _unknown_. They all thought I was just a legend! Like Bob, I had many names myself: Mega Mephitis, Silent Killer, The Stench., but the one I grew most fond of was...Stink Bomb. Everyone used to just call me Skunk, so I figured it was time for a new name. It sounded cool, like a big bomber kaiju, l-like Godzilla! You should've heard how mad Trap Shadow was when I sat on him. Heh, he should've been called Hissy Fit."

As if on cue, sharp sibilation rend the air.

"Yeah, just like that!" exclaimed Stink Bomb. He put a paw upon Rattle Shake's shoulder. "But, seriously, we have got to get that hiss of yours under control, bud; you're starting to scare me."

"Me?" Rattle Shake widened an eye. "I thought that was you. Chester _did_ bring you frijoles."

"If it was me, you'd be out cold."

"I did not hiss..."

"Well, someone did..."

In unison, their gazes slowly drifted down. "Shhii..."

* * *

In the Mainland, birds chirped their early songs to Skylands, waking up the wondrous world. From the Café, delicious aromas of Undead pies, syrup-coated pancakes, frosted pastries, and sugary cake strayed about the summer breeze. Scores of Skylanders played, danced, pranced and chattered, astir under the fun of the morning sun.

That **WAS** what Whirlwind usually awoke to at daybreak.

In the Pit, things were quite different, to say the least. Today, Whirlwind only awoke to the sounds of absolute mayhem. Her entire ears were filed with horrible snarls and squeals; it was like no other noise she had heard before. Screams reverberated off the tunnel walls. Startled, the Air Skylander looked about, only to see that her many Pit roommates were gone. Nests of pointy nettle were left empty, without any traces of those who were once there. With a grimace, Whirlwind looked down to her side...finding no gem dragoness. "F-Flashwing?"

At the sound of a sharp cry, she winced. A sense of fear struck her like a missile. "Flashwing!" Leaping onto her feet, Whirlwind raced out of the tunnel and into a battlefield. Shrieks and screeches of pain ripped the air. Abhorrent stenches of bloodshed, something rotting, something burning, and acrid smoke was aloft in the searing zephyr. Dozens of savage dragons swarmed upon the stained sands like locusts, fighting, writhing, scrabbling, and howling under the blinding sun.

Whirlwind gaped, jaw practically dropping down to the floor. Her legs quavered as if they were only frail twigs. She had seen, and been apart of, many battles, maybe even too many to count, but never had her eyes fell upon such madness. Raising a paw like an injured dog, Whirlwind slowly started to move back. "This is the exact opposite of fun in the sun..."

Little did she know, the tunnel was not entirely empty. "Frightening, isn't it, little one?"

Whirlwind froze, for she had backed, smack dab, right into someone unseen. Hot, hissing breath nipped at the back of her neck. A menacing shadow loomed over her like that of a ghost. Who could that be? Gravel? Pyralis? Someone even worse? _Who ever it is_, she thought, _they're about to be in a world of hurt._ Prepping her powers, horn sparking with light, wings splayed, Whirlwind span around with a bray. "Listen here, you! I'm not afraid to fight! You put one claw on me and I swear I'll-" Her scowl softened, for she realized it was Apep, a friend, or at least an acquaintance. "Oh..."

"I don't quite understand..." Apep stared at her with the most quizzical of expressions. "If you want to fight—" he flicked his tail—"join the war of the hooligans. You know, the one outside; you can't miss it. Out there, with all the hullabaloo, where everyone is acting like idiots. Bigger idiots than usual, actually."

"Heh, sorry..." Whirlwind, sheepishly, hid her face with a wing. "I guess..." The Skylander stopped as soon as she started. "What's going on? What's happening? Why is everyone—where's Flashwing?!" Her azure eyes went wide with worry. Hurriedly, she hobbled forward. "Is she here? Wh-where is she?! Tell me!"

Apep blinked, taken aback. "Bombard me with questions, why don't you? Hmph, hatchlings nowadays..." Turning his head to a side, he maundered to himself.

Exasperated, Whirlwind breathed out through her flared nostrils like a wild horse. From her experience with the SWAP Force, she understood that the elders of the Undead element could be especially...cranky. In her vivid unicorn mind, she liked to think of them as angry bundles of endless, nagging grumpiness, with a crotchety cloud over their heads. Apep was proving to be no different from the rest. His crabbiness seemed to be well-known in the Pit community, as no one truly ever talked to him, the hermit. Just about everyone called him Apep the Hag, instead of Apep the Healer.

"Now, Flashie, no, no, Flashme? Flashing, t-the vain one who bears the crystals?" Apep tapped his snout in thought. "She must be awake, at your little Skylander home. To you outsiders, all this is practically an illusion, a dream...or something like that. I've never understood the laws of this...dream thing; it's new, modern." Here, he shrugged. "I'm just the healer."

"Oh, well, that's good," Whirlwind, slightly, smiled. But relief soon dissipated into worry, for with that problem gone, another, subsequently, arose. If Flashwing was at the Mainland, that meant her partner was practically all alone in the Pit, surrounded by potential enemies. Even Stubbs seemed unafraid of the thought of killing her in battle, and he was just a child. Whirlwind, looking at the ground, muttered under her breath. "Lucky..." She'd much rather be out on a patrol than in an open season.

"To answer your other almost incoherent queries," Apep nodded to the battlefield, "Combat and conquest runs through a Pit Dragon's veins. They're born for war, to shed blood. Why are they doing this? Why are they fighting? Because its for fun; they're playing. It's nothing to be gawping at. It just means that that terrible, bothersome moppet and I have more cuts to clean and cruror to clarify." With a sigh, he put a claw to his head. "How delightful. Moaning and groaning, from both patients **AND **my atrocious apprentice."

"They're not doing this for entertainment? This isn't one of those...freaky death challenges?"

"Well, there are no cat demons flying about, my dear."

A little gasp escaped Whirlwind's mouth. Fun? That was considered fun? The Pit was becoming worse and worse every time she returned. "Apep..." Trepid, the Skylander hesitated before asking another question. "...why don't you fight?"

Apep put a claw to his chest. "Me?" He rumbled a raspy laugh. "My dear, have you not noticed? I'm no spring Storm Chicken anymore."

"But you're a Pit Dragon, like you said," Whirlwind pressured onward. "I've talked to the children here and they all want to kill each other..."

"Augh, I am not into clawing at throats or ripping off wings," Apep tossed his head to a side with a grunt. "I don't have idiot spirit in, never have, never will."

"Then why are you here? In the Pit?"

"See any other elders here, child?"

"I can't say I have."

''That's because they're dead. They were killed, all of them. Vathek has no need for the elderly. He says they're all worthless bags of bones, just like his brother, Ramses. Yet, I am still here. Do you want to know why, little Skylander?"

Whirlwind nodded without a word, eyes a mad jumble of mixed emotions.

Flicking out a green tongue like a sibilant snake, hissing, Apep leaned in close to her face. "Because they **NEED** me. Without me, they'd all be six feet underground, every last one of them. I'm a healer, you see, the only healer. **I'm** the one working my broken butt off for these brutish bozos. **I'm** the one getting only a smidgen of scraps for payment!"

"That's..." Whirlwind tried her best not to wince at his rank breath, scrunching up her snout. "...unfortunate."

"And do you want to know who sits around and does nothing all day and all night?" Before Whirlwind could even hazard a guess, with wrenched claws, Apep forcefully yanked Whirlwind's head up by her fur. He rasped a harsh hiss. "Th_eeeeee_m."

Outside the crater, upon the ground, sat a swarm of silver-clad dragons. They were like statues, still, frozen in time with slight smiles upon their faces.

Whirlwind couldn't believe her eyes. "W-what?!" she exclaimed in disbelief. "Th-they're just sitting there! Doing nothing!"

"Precisely, my dear!" Apep agreed, full of fervor. "**Pre**-cisely!"

"They're just sitting there while they-" The Skylander's words came to a sudden stop, for something snagged her attention. Among the crowd of dark metal and shiny steel, there was one, single contrasting color: gold.

Pyralis.

High and mighty, the Royal Guard looked like a king. Pure amusement sparked like stars in his evil eyes, for the guard was thoroughly entertained by his clanmates' struggle. There was no worry or fear, only enjoyment and mirth.

At the sight of the villain, fur and feathers bristling like a storm, Whirlwind gave a growl. "He's sitting on sidelines..."

"Exac—wait, what're we talking about? Who are we talking about?" Trying to get a good view, Apep bobbed his head about, like a bird. "Who is it you speak of? There are many fools in this hellhole, you see. You must help me here, Skylander, I'm an elder."

A snarling shout tore from Whirlwind's throat, "Pyralis!" Hearing her cry, Pyralis glanced at the hybrid, returning the snarl. They locked eyes, burning amber boring into bright blue, they both flared their nostrils, and they both bared their teeth. Was he challenging her? The Skylander? The Elemental? What a fool. Whirlwind dropped into a battle position, ready for action. Pyralis, on the other hand, simply gave a yawn and shifted his gaze back to the battle below.

"Hmph, how rude," mused Apep.

"You jerk-face! You-" Flames of utter fury tore at Whirlwind's kind and calm unicorn center. Her blood boiled to the red-hot intensity of the Lava Pits. If Whirlwind was a Fire Skylander, smoke would've been streaming from her ears. "Why aren't they stopping this?! What are they doing?!" Whirlwind swiped at the sand with a growl. "That-" Full of aggression, she lashed her tail. "I'll rip his stupid heart out!"

Apep heaved a sigh. "So I suppose we're not on the topic of me and my disastrous, dark, and dreary afterlife anymore, correct? You're just going to keep screaming blue murder, right?"

Fit to be tied, Whirlwind scraped at the ground like a crazed bull. "This is madness!"

"Tell you what, Whirl-whatzits..." Apep, tiredly, licked his cracked, dry lips. "Since you care so...so **deeply **about this _awful, _mayhaps even dreadful, occurrence of events..." He slung an anemic arm around the Skylander, who quivered with sheer ferocity. "Why don't you do something around this? Hm? Skylanders help people, right? That's what they're here for?" He scratched his unsightly, burned back with a tail. "That Pyralis really seems to shake your scales. Er, fur. Whatever you have. If I was a nimble, swift, juvenile like you, I'd probably try to 'stop the madness'."

Earnestly, Whirlwind hadn't been listening to the old codger, not for a minute. Words went into her ear and right out the other, until something struck. _Why don't you do something about this? _The single sentence had made her stop snarling, shaking, and seething. Fuzzy mind cleared of vicious thoughts, Whirlwind blinked with clarity. She relaxed her claws. "I...I don't..." Turning her head aside, the Air Skylander breathed out. What was she doing? Was she just about to run into the middle of a war? By herself? Skylanders usually fought together, not alone.

"Ah, there goes someone's wing. Cast adrift in the wind, the poor thing. Oh, and would you look, it's twitching. Mm, it'll be roasted by the time this madness ends, don't you think, my dear? How divine. Just more food for the hatchlings, I suppose," With a sniff, Apep leaned in, snout practically no more than a Chompy's tiny paw away from the ears of the Skylander. "And more food for thought for you, my dear."

Mind racing, Whirlwind shakily stumbled over her words. "But, I-I can't...do it alone."

"Then stick around and stay awhile!" Apep said like a mad man, fervent. In a split second, he lowered himself down to the ground. His strange vigor soon turned lifeless, like the living corpse he was. "This will take...a few days, maybe. These drawnout battles take absolutely forever. Come on, dear, it is time for rest; it'll help get your attention off this stupid stuff, soothe your fickle, confusing mind. If you get hungry, I'm sure I have some spare herbs somewhere. Herbivores like herbs, so I've heard. We can just lie to those fools, it's not like they'll be bleeding to death, writhing, squirming in agony. "

Whirlwind outstretched a wing, blocking the healer's way. "No."

"N-no?" Apep stuttered in sheer surprise. "What do you mean 'no'? No, thanks? You can't just say no! I'm trying to be nice here, child." His voice turned into a hushed whisper. "And trust me, being nice isn't exactly my forte."

"No!" Whirlwind nearly cut him off. She turned to Apep with wild ferocity in her eyes. Her stern voice was like that of Crusher's hammer striking a Traptanium anvil. "I am a Skylander, a Champion of the Sky, a hero!" Imposingly, she stretched out her wings. "Do you know who saved the dragons from a vicious troll attack?"

Apep squinted. "No...?"

"I did!" Whirlwind proclaimed. "Do you know who saved both the dragons _and_ the unicorns from a vicious troll attack?"

"You did?"

"I did!" Peppily, Whirlwind practically leapt into the air. "Do you know who saved both the dragons _and_ the unicorns from a vicious troll attack...all by herself?"

"I not even going to say anything..." Apep sat back on his bony haunches.

"**I DID!**" Whirlwind shouted as loud as the brewing storms she commanded. Her wings sparked with static as she snarled. "I'm going save these people, just as I did before. Alone!" With a triumphant, neighing cry, she reared up on her hind legs. "Once more onto the breach!"

And she tore across the battlefield like a tornado.

"Hatchlings these days..." Slumping down with a thud, Apep let out a groan. "Always in a hurry; always rushing, hmph..."

* * *

gonna have to change chap 4, stink's got a new backstory. Yep, brother bonding, it's like swapper shenanigans...but instead of bickering, they're bonding. All those events Wash Buckler talked about are things I'm drabblin' about. Anyway, review, request, whatever you like. (almost to 5,000 views...)


	18. The Three-Ring Circus

_BLOCK OF TEXT BELOW. I realize I need to shorten these for more frequent chapters! Hope your attention span lasts~_

* * *

_Click, clack, click, clack..._

She hated this. She loathed this. She absolutely despised this. But it had to be done.

For the first time in what seemed like ten-thousand years, Ail the Sorceress was inside the Esp—oh whatever! It was just a Skyship! Oh, yes, it had an _magical _forcefield, how could she forget? Big whoop! It was practically normal! Just another stupid ship holding smelly Seadogs and horrible infestations and...

Her pups.

They were exactly the reason why she was here—they were the only reason she was here. Her motherly instincts, for whatever reason, had been pounding like a jackhammer. It stopped her from sleeping, from eating, from doing everything! She _needed_ those pups back. Not tomorrow, not the day after that; Ail needed them back right now! From the inside out, stress was devouring her like maggots, and it definitely showed. How did she know? Well, her only mirror had completely exploded last night. No, not a crack, not a shatter, a full-on explosion of flying glass and splintery shards of wood. Why? The inflamed bags under her eyes drooped like that of a sad Chillydog's ears. Feathers fell from her every time she moved; pink skin showed where they should've been. A wrinkly wattle had been forming on her neck, red and raw. Yellow fluids dribbled down from her dark tearducts.

Nightmares ran amuck in her mind, nonstop, every day, every night. Headaches came and never ended. A lump was lodged in her itchy throat, making her voice ten times more worse. And it was all because of the Treacherous Trio. She felt as if she needed to save her pups from something, something dark and dangerous. Every time she closed her eyes, they were always there, haunting her, reminding her. Since her episode, Ail had secluded herself in her little room, sticking to the bed like glue. Just like her memories, the sphinxes always came back to check on her. It wasn't until now that they forced themselves into her hiding place. Shadeskin had begged her, pleaded her to get up. And she did, but Ail hadn't told them where she went. If the witch did, she wouldn't hear the end of it.

_Click, clack, click, clack..._

That was the sound of her beak, a sound of annoyance. This place was in worst shape than her cottage! Silverfish lined the walls. Squeaking rats scurried out of her way and over her feet. Webs of all sorts dangled from the ceiling. Big pellets of salty seawater plopped down on her head, over and over again. If she still had her snout, she would've wrinkled it. This place smelt like a pig sty! Just as she remembered it. Her blistered tongue stuck out in disgust. The putrid twixt of briny fish, unwashed clothes, and dirty fur was a terrible, terrible stench. It, along with the voices, got stronger with every step she took. Closer and closer she crept, and as soon as loud laughs hit her ears, Ail stopped. Golden slits of light shone on the wooden floor. She looked up to find a broken door, stuck wide open for the whole world to see. _ X marks the spot_, she thought,_ Such carelessness, the Seadogs are definitely in here._ It wasn't what she wanted, those mongrels weren't what she was looking for, but, without even trying, they could show her the way. She knew they would.

Ail peeked in. Seadogs swarmed around a single table, laughing their butts off. They rose full tankards, cheering and chanting, sloshing them about. Casks were filled and downed as soon as they reached the rim. Some danced around the room, while others snored right in their seats. Horribly, they howled, singing out to Skylands, falling right to the floor. One was even urinating on the wall! A raspy hiss bounced off the sides of her burning throat. Just the sight of them rattled her old, aching bones. Those filthy, dirty, mangy mutts! How could anyone live in such an awful place? How could her **babies** live in such an awful place?! The thought tore at her evil heartstrings! Now, admittedly, her cottage wasn't as cozy as it used to be, but at least it didn't smell like regurgitated fish! She hoped those gross pirates weren't rubbing off on her precious pups. Ail could only recognize a few of them, but no one stood out more than Patches, the first mate, or in her opinion, the yes-man. His pushover personality just made him as intolerable as the rest of them.

Patches licked his lips, obnoxious as ever. "Nothin' like gets better than this, 'ey Red?

"Aye," said Redfur, another one Ail recognized. He had always been nice to her. While as others got out of her way, whimpering like babes, Redfur only gave a bright smile whenever she came aboard, as a horrifying bird or as a horrifying Seapoodle. "There be nothin' like it!"

Jabb, who sat in between them, shook the two like an excited kit. Perhaps he was just a smidgen more obnoxious than Patches. "Yew bet yah bums there ain't nothin' bettah than this!"_ Really_ obnoxious.

Ail looked among the cesspool for her pups, but, thankfully, didn't find them in here. Just as she was about to turn around and continue on her merry way, a snuffling noise caught her attention; it had been so loud that she had heard it over the drunk revelers. It had made her flinch. The Cardmaster? Mange had always been a loud sleeper; perhaps he was someplace hidden among the crowd, snoring, with his cute, pink tongue all poked out and his big nose twitching and his...

**NO.**

Ail shook her head. She wasn't supposed to be searching for him. She was doing just fine without that slimeball. Ail didn't need a man to be evil with! It wasn't like she missed all the flowers she got on her doorstep. It wasn't like she missed kicking Knifeteeth in his crotch. It wasn't like she missed teaming up to steal candy from Mabu babies. It wasn't like she missed playing _Titchy Toad Tag_. It wasn't like she missed ruining others' dates. It wasn't like she missed having fun! Ail closed her eyes, threw her head back, and sighed.

It wasn't like she missed..._him_.

In attempt to relieve her stress, Ail kicked out only to jump and clutch her foot. That didn't feel like a wall, it felt worse! Like a rock! She was surprised her toenails didn't break! The noise sounded again, stronger than before. _SNURFT! _Ail, stopping in mid-hop, looked down. There it was.

A gargoyle.

Ail stumbled back, stifling a squawk. There were tons of them in the room! Everywhere! Curled up, sprawled out, flopped on their bellies! Her eyes darting about; she couldn't even count them all! How didn't she notice them?! Ail finally swallowed that lump in her throat. Before she could move, the beast in front of her awoke, raising its head up with a snort. His snout was short, pushed inwards like a bulldog, and teeth stuck out from them in all directions. His beady eyes were a pale gray, ones that stared right into Ail's soul. Even a mother couldn't love that face. **No** mother could love that face! That thing, dare she admit it, looked even worse than her! Stricken stiff, Ail could only shuffle and sidestep out of the way, huddling up against the wall for cover. The gargoyle had made itself heard, warbling like a fat walrus, snuggling at the air with its big snout. Had he not seen her? Idle, he—at least Ail thought it was a he—stood his ground, glued to the floorboard.

He knew she was here.

A low grumble vented from his slack jaw. He spoke as if he had eaten an entire mountain, as if rocks had been stuck in his esophagus. "Birdie."

The way he said the single word was enough to scare the Undead.

"Big birdie. Hiding. Scared in shadows. Saw birdie, find birdie. My birdie." The stone-scaled creature craned its neck, nostrils flaring. Open and close, open and close. He breathed out with a snort, and his warty tongue lolled, pompous and pink. "Big, tasty birdie. Gonna find you. Gonna catch you!" Ail heard him lick at his jaws, slobber plopping from them in huge drops; she could've sworn some got on her foot. In disgust, she kicked out.

Her hooked nails scraped the floor.

His ears twitched.

Dark eyes lit up. A rumble emanated from his throat, rolling and rolling until it turned into something menacing. Ail held her breath and bit her tongue, as he snuffled, taking in all the scents that nose of his could handle. He looked up, slowly, turned his head, and then...

" 'Ey, beastie!" The loudmouthed voice that belonged to Jabb ruined all of the suspense. The gargoyle's little ears flew up in alert. Even Ail had jumped. "What're yah doin' ovah there? The par-tay is in 'ere, mate!"

_Beastie_, for lack of a better word, or name for that matter, locked at his nostrils, huffing. "Big, tasty bird is out here. Big chicken! I want!" He stamped his claws. "I get!"

"Talkin' to yahself, eh? Been there before. Yah just wastin' your time, pal. C'mon now, Cap'n doesn't want yah messin' about the halls!"

He made a defiant noise, something like that of a mad dragon. His ripped wings flared out.

"Oh? Is that so? Well, mistah, would yah like t'go back to the torture room? The _decent waterdogs_ will be 'happy t'see more customers! Yah looked mighty pretty in pink!"

That made his wings fold back. His eyes grew as big as saucers.

"Shut the door on yah way, will yah? gettin' quite a bad draft, yah know? Don't want to hear girly giggling all-night—no mattah 'ow cute it is!"

"No, no!" He scrabbled to his rocky feet, spinning like a whirlwind, and rushed indoors. I stay, I stay here! Stay!" His thick tail flicked and closed to door, just as Jabb had asked.

Ail stamped the floor with a clawed foot. "Dancing arctic miniature narwhals!" she hissed. Ail would've cursed if her Seapups weren't here, and she would've cursed louder if Seadogs didn't have such good hearing. Shaking a balled fist, her feathers sprung out like spines, bristling. "Porte stupide!" She should've gone in when she had the chance! She could've gotten answers! Better answers! At least something—anything! She groaned, but carried on. _No use in crying over..._

Her head tilted. _Dripping water?_ She snapped her body around. Once again, there was a noise, a strange noise. Maybe the sound of rain? Leaky ceiling?

_Plip-plip-plip-plip..._

The sound of tiny paws, padding and padding, it was no stranger to her ears. Her cold heart leapt all the way into her gullet; she choked down a gasp. Tiny paws! Tiny paws that ran about the house, tiny paws that were stubbed on walls, tiny paws that were kissed when hurt.

_Plip-plip-plip-plip..._

Tiny paws that belonged on a puppy.

A small shadow cast over the wall, the tiniest of little, itty frames. Gnawing sounded, cute and quiet, unlike the loud chewing of those drunk Seadogs, and it got closer with every step. No, no, that was muttering, the kind Candy made whenever she couldn't get sweets before bed! Stomping sounded, itty-bitty stomping. "Can't sleep, can't do nothin'..."

Ail didn't hear the rest, something along the unintelligible, grumpy lines of _rargle-flargle_, as she tried to control her feathers from popping right off.

There! Ail gaped. A Seapup!

Her shoulders slumped with an audible snap.

No. Well, yes, but...

Not female. Not a poodle. Not one of hers. An exasperated sigh flew from her mouth. "Oh, flying unicorns creating kittens..." What was she even saying anymore? What was she even doing anymore? This wasn't going how she planned—this was a bad idea. A dumb idea! First, the sudden swarm of gargoyles, now this? A pup? A pup that came out of nowhere? One that wasn't even hers! What a let-down. What a disappointment. What a...complete and utter failure!

She rubbed her blistered hands, bright electricity sparking off in specks. No witnesses. "Alright, so I've never actually used this on a pup before but..."

A little growl stopped her right in her evil, electric tracks. Ail actually flinched! "An intruder! Stop right there!" The Seapup jumped forth, pointed out a bottle of milk, as if it were a gun, and licked his nummy teeth. All of his furs bushed out, and he made himself look like an overgrown, prickly pinecone. Quite cute, Ail hated to admit it.

He hadn't yet matured, it seemed. Unless she was staring at the very rare, pygmy Seadog. No, that couldn't be right. If that was true, she would've scooped him right up in a heartbeat! His tannish fur was short, like that of a well-groomed housecat, not long and messy. Some of his wispy fluff was clumped up in little balls, as if he were a baby bird, molting. Male Seadogs as they aged usually lost their tails, shortening and shortening until they were completely unseen. Though a bit of a stub, this pup's was still swishing. Probably around six weeks, Ail thought, not too old, not too young.

Again, a normal, run-of-the-mill Seapup. Except his nose. That was what got all of Ail's attention.

Splatters of pink pinpointed his wet, black nose, looking as if an reckless artist had polkadotted it with paint. Ail felt her beak, tracing it up and down, and began to stutter. "Why," She didn't even realize she was venting her thoughts, "I-I used to...I-I used to have a nose like...just like..."

"Stand back! I am not afraid of you, lady!"

Lady! She placed a claw to her chest, surprised, shocked. He _clearly_ wasn't afraid of her. No one, besides her Sphinxes, had called her lady in a full millennium!

"Oh, why hello there, little one," Ail mascaraed a cheerful, smiling mask. "Isn't it past your bedtime? Does your mommy and daddy know you're up?"

Scraggle curled his milk-dripping lips. He stepped forward, aiming his bottle right in between her bloodshot eyes, and spat on the ground. Just as revolting as an adult pirate. "I don't have a bedtime. I'm a fierce pirate; we don't need no bedtimes."

"Dearest apologies, fierce pirate, my mistake." Ail said, coolly as she could. She cocked her head to a side, stifling the laugh that threatened to escape her. "Boy, that is quite the frightening weapon. I am _shivering_."

Unfortunately, this pup didn't seem as dumb as the other mutts on-board. He swiped over his wet nose with a sniffle. "Don't play coy, don't you try that _goo-goo-ga-ga_ stuff with me, lady. Do you know who I am? I'm the son of the captain! I'm The Cardmaster's son! I am the Bird Whisperer!"

_Click._ That was the sound of a trigger going off in Ail's head. She had to blink her bloodshot eyes. Repeatedly. Over and over and over again. "Wha..what?" The...The Cardmaster's son? The Cardmaster had a son? Stiffened up, back straightened, she felt like a robot, for these words just didn't compute. He...he had a son? The old witch would've fainted if she didn't know her bones weren't as brittle as twigs.

He had a son.

_Clack._

He really had a son...

_Click, clack, click, clack_ went the crackling of her broken heart. She thought he never wanted pups. She thought he had given up on love. So, just because she'd changed, he completely jumped ship and moved over to someone else? Had he just lied to her just to get away? Who was his mate now? Did he have anymore pups? How did this even happen? How could this have happened?

**HE HAD A SON. HE ACTUALLY HAD A SON.  
**

_Click, clack, click, clack_ went the time bomb; _click, clack, click, clack _went the sound of the electricity sparking off her talons. How dare he! How dare they! She was going to find whoever that hag was, skin the fur off of her, and wear her pelt as a fur coat! She was going to stuff her insides with Snappers, and watch as she was devoured from the inside out! She'd take her organs, chop them up into little pieces, and make mincemeat out of them! Rip out her teeth one by one and wear them on a necklace! Bash her head in with the horns of a Boghog! Sic a vampire on her! Turn her into a hideous beast and she how she liked it! She how long she could live with herself, knowing that she was the ugliest creature to ever breathe in Skylanders, knowing that nobody would ever like her, living alone in a dumb cottage for the rest of her life, spoonfeeding Sphinxes as if they were her own children! And Ail would laugh and laugh and laugh, watching the show, stuffing her beak with popcorn. The Cardmaster wouldn't want that she-beard then, now would he? No! That backstabbing, pigheaded, arrogant, dastardly filth, why, he'd have a fate much worse than hers. First, she'd—

"I don't think Dad really likes me, though..."

Her electricity came to a sizzle, and so did all of her ideas. Curses. Narrowing her eyes, she shot a fierce glare at him; no one interrupted her mental, villain ramblings! "What?!" she barked.

"Well, not now at least. I came into his room, a-and then he snapped at me and sent me away. No one s'posed to go into the Captain's Room but I heard him coughing, so I got worried and..." He stopped when he noticed Ail's gaze, her brows softening. "What're you lookin' at?"

Shaking her head, feathers flying, Ail tsked and tutted. "Poor thing. I knew this would happen if he ever had pups. The Cardmaster isn't exactly what one would call responsible. He could barely take care of a turtle if he tried. And what is that? Milk? Just milk he probably stole at a market? Fish and milk, everyday? Have you never even tasted candy before? Horrible. You can't grow into a big, strong Seadog with that! Look at your bones! You need more! You need love!"

Scraggle immediately took offense. "I-I am loved! He loves me! J-just not now. I mean, once I get stronger, h-he'll love me, 'cause I'll be tough just like him! Once I get bigger, I'll get everything in the world!" He caught eye of Ail's incredulous expression. "Don't look at me like that! You just don't understand Seadogs 'cause you're a bird! Birds are different!"

"Oh, sorry, it's just that your logic is incredibly flawed...and incredibly adorable. I assure you—" she winced in deep thought. "Mhm, Scraggle, is it?"

In a state of shock, Scraggle began to stutter. "H-how do you know my..." He looked at her in disbelief. "I haven't even-"

"I know more than you think, Seapup. I know about you, I know about your father. Why, you can practically say I'm apart of the family. Your father is an untrustworthy man. He doesn't really care about anyone but himself. It's quite a shock he hasn't even abandoned you yet."

"What're you here for? Why're tryin' to stick your beak into my life, lady?" He squinted and scrunched up his snout, straining his eyes. "Who are you?"

Ail fell silent. This was where she was supposed to make up some sort of name, a lie. Unfortunately, she hadn't quite thought her mastermind plan through. Step One: sneak aboard, Step Two: scare the answers out of a Seadog, Step Three: find the Trio and return safely to the cottage. Step Four: beat up The Cardmaster was completely optional. Things had ended up differently from the initial idea. Instead of throwing a Girls' Night with her babies, nibbling on scones and pushing Sphinxes around, not blabbing to a random pup! Definitely wasn't apart of the plan at all. Under pressure, mind blank, she couldn't quite come up with a name; this whole, convoluted scheme had mangled her bird brain. She didn't expect herself to be casually talking to The Cardmaster's son, but here she was anyway, and now was raking through her thoughts, wasting her time, for a dumb name. Ugh, how she loathed it when her plans backfired. She tapped a foot, thinking. It had to be something convincing, something a child could fall for. Mrs. Cuddleworth? Too bland. Sunshine Sprinkles? Too nauseating. How about...

_Click-clack-click_ went a lightbulb above her head. A wicked smirk pierced through her beak. Something was concocting in that sick mind of hers, something brilliant. Oh, yes; she had the perfect name. Absolutely perfect! Her evil eyes shrunk down to slits. Two could play at this game. Wiping the grin off her face, she flicked her fingers forward and back. "Come here, _little 'un_," The word hadn't set right with her and she had to hiss it out. Scraggle gave her a grimace, as if he wasn't sure whether to trust her or not. Despite his wariness, Ail badgered on; she knew just how to make the runt move. "I thought you said you weren't afraid, Scraggle. What's wrong?" Her voice was like that of a blade, sharp, steely, and smooth.

"My name is Rosemary." _Juuust_ right.

At that very moment, he looked as if his very soul had been ripped from him. His eyes went wide; tears beaded up in their corners. He bit his lips, trying to stop them from wriggling. Ail could've sworn she saw his heart bumping against his chest. She tried to keep herself from laughing, clamping her beak tight with a claw. Scraggle murmured something, but all Ail could hear was a shaky breath._ Plip-plip-plip. _Taking tiny steps, he started forth, reached out a paw, and...

_THUD _went the sound of pup fainting.

Ail looked sideways at the fallen body, turning her head. Tentatively, she touched him with a sharp toe. He didn't move. The hag let out a guffaw that could swoon a donkey, holding her sides; she nearly keeled over too! So dramatic, so adorable, so over-the-top! This was definitely the son of The Cardmaster, no questions asked. "Oh, I've had so much fun, Scraggle!" giggled Ail. "I haven't had a maniacal laugh this great in years!" Trying to recover, hand on her chest, she breathed out a sigh. "Sweet dreams, little..." Her words ebbed off, slowly, as another shadow painted itself onto the wall facing her. A bigger shadow. _Click, clack, click, clack  
_went her feet, as she fled away from the scene, away from Scraggle...

...away from the prime reasons behind her mission!

* * *

The formidable, black sails of the Esper rose, high and mighty. Above and below, bright-eyed Seadogs scrabbled about like cockroaches, yipping and yapping orders at each other. Weapons were sharpened over grindstone and claws were honed against fangs. Lean and sleek corsairs fitted red-feathered arrows through bows and beefy and bulky buccaneers slung heated axes over their shoulders. Metal clashed against metal as swordsmen parried, struck, and ducked. Baritone seashanties were howled out to the sky, loud as can be,

"Time to bury the hatchet, time to go for the goal,

we've got bones to pick, and bodies to kick,

Heavens have mercy on me soul!"

Today was the day.

The Cardmaster felt like a giddy pup. Excitement, the thrill of it all, was like swarms of fire ants gnawing at his skin. A tiny flame licked and lapped at his cold, dark heart and butterflies bounced about in his stomach. Evil butterflies. It was a funny feeling, but he welcomed it with wide, open arms. His teeth were ground, bared, as he snickered and sank along to himself like a jester, like a fool. The Skylanders were only tourists on these waters, and with Wash Buckler taken care of, unable to help, they were unprotected. Champions of the Sky? Itty-bitty, sitting ducklings was more like it. The Cardmaster was pleased with his plan, to say the least; everything had been working out perfectly.

He had been more than just prepared; he had been dressed to impress. Precious jewelry hung from his neck, wrists, and arms, all adorned in shining, red rubies. Over his scraps, or what he called clothing, was a smooth, red tunic, stolen from the finest of designers, embellished with shiny, gold strips of silk. Velvety, red gloves covered his sore paws. To top it off, a beautiful, red hat, plumed by a long, blackened feather, was perched upon his head, ears peeking through ragged slits. Red, red, red; everything red! Just how he liked it. Some people had their cute swimwear for sandy beaches, others had their favorite, fancy tuxedos and prim dresses for balls. The Cardmaster, why, he had his own outfit for war. Blood stained, and he didn't exactly like that. Who truly did? The Cardmaster was a little insane, but he was no masochist! Splatters wouldn't matter when he wore this. Dressed to _kill _was more like it.

"You sure about this, Cards? You look like a big, baby cardinal," Poochie had said, giggling, as she sifted through her hoard of pink clothes.

"Looks more like a_ bloated_ cardinal to me!" Candy had reputed, of course.

"Hmm," Cookie had been busy giving him, The Cardmaster, funny looks. "I'd say a boiled lobster, more like..."

"You've seen better days, Cardmaster. Far too overdressed, far too stuffy. Ooh, no, let me fix that. I'll have you know that's probably a very, very expensive...thingy!"

"That's what you'd call a—"

"I don't care!"

Neither did The Cardmaster. Who would be laughing when their guts were being torn out of them? Who would be laughing when their skulls were being crushed? Who would be laughing when their body was being torched, roasted alive? Bloated cardinal, boiled lobster, it didn't matter. If a midget of a Portal Master could go into battle looking like a four-year old who played around in his mother's makeup, then The Cardmaster could certainly have his fun as a bloated cardinal or a boiled lobster. He was a true Portal Master! He was a god!

"...it's time to sharpen our swords, time to thank me lord,

He's a bloody rose by any name, one who's worthy of the fame—"

The Cardmaster couldn't help himself, and threw back his head with a huge, hearty shout. "WHY, THAT'S ME!"

"Hee-hee-hee!"

"OH, I LOVE THIS SONG!" He laughed so hard his whole body shook and the others did the same, some even falling onto the ground. If he had a tail, it would've been waggling like the flag of a Skyship caught in the Rapid Winds. Froth gathered at his dark lips, foam flying from his mouth as he chortled. His eyes drained of their dark color, tendrils of purple streaming from his tearducts. Not to worry, for this was all in good spirits. As a coyote would do to its own leg, he began to gnaw, savagely, at his arm. He didn't even know he was really doing it! The excitement was too much to handle! It was like his maw had a mind of its own! His knife-edged teeth sank into his own flesh, ripping away at dirty, brown fur, as he growled and grumbled and rumbled. Mad? Quite possibly; he _was _enjoying a dumb bar song—a birthday gift from all the drunkards—for the first time in a million years. Usually, he'd be pulling at his ears in agony, yelling. Today? His paw moved to and fro, as if he was conducting a orchestra, it too dancing to the jolly beat. Nothing could ruin this day.

As the singing, if you could even call it that, came to a mighty crescendo, a tinny taste filled his mouth and blood trickled down his throat. Didn't bother him. He was a dog, a Seadog; garbage was a full-course buffet for them! With all those dead bodies lying around in the cellar, he practically could've chosen to be a cannibal! A toothy grin crossed his wretched face as he dizzily drooled. Thoughts bounced around the walls of that cunning, calculating mind of his; he wouldn't have time to reminisce while in battle. Happy whines escaped from him, and, in one of the tiny, sane parts of his brain, he hoped no one had heard him. He had come so far, all the way to the Cloudbreak Islands! Today was the day! Today was the big** DAY! **It was time to go Skylander hunting! That smile of his grew and grew and grew until was just a sickle of yellowed fangs. Until...

_Something is coming, something you're not prepared for, child._

The words of his father had replayed in his ears. He batted at them with a growl. What did that old Seadog know? Rotclaw wasn't some sort of prophet that could just see into the future. If anything, The Cardmaster should be the one to do that. Bubbles had been trailing behind the Esper, quickly. It was rather unnatural...and just plain weird.

_Your biggest threat is yet to come, Mange._

Even if Rotclaw wasn't a magical prophet, his words send little shivers down The Cardmaster's spine. But, his biggest threat were the Skylanders. Rotclaw's prophecy, if you could even call it that, hadn't made much sense to him. Biggest? Did that mean the Giants were after him?

That was probably it. No way he'd come out of that fight alive. Was it just one Giant? No other huge threats? He couldn't fight all of them! Not without the Pit Dragons and their merciless King. The Cardmaster wasn't entirely sure of what the gargoyles could do yet, his pirates would most likely run way like cowards, and the Trio would end up doing something stupid; Poochie was their leader, after all. They deemed absolutely useless, every, single one of them!

His ears and nose twitched, interrupting his thoughts; someone was behind him. With great alacrity, whirled around to find his twentieth son, Scraggle, looking as useless as ever. He sighed, ears drawing back. The Cardmaster was hoping for a gargoyle, one with news of where his prized pet, Lucky, had gone. Thinking fast, he replaced his frown of disappointment with silly, stupid grin. Scraggle, being an insolent pup, would simply know none the wiser...at least The Cardmaster hoped. "Ah, Scraggle! Just the pup I wanted to see, haha! How've you been? Good night's sleep?"

"...d_aaaa_d?" The child wasn't even looking at him, for his eyes scrolled down to something else. He flinched, staggering back with a gasp. His fur fluffed out in fright and his eyes went wide. His voice was a whimper. "Your arm is..."

The Cardmaster immediately hid it behind his back. Drops of dark crimson fell down to the floor. "What're you doing up so early, son? Oh, I know; you've come to see your old dad skin a Mermasquid! Sorry, but it's not safe little scamps like you to be about. I'll let you wear his hat as a souvenir, I promise. Just got to wash the blood off of it first; we can do that together, you and me, father and son!"

Scraggle didn't seem interested in this, as he shuffled a foot. His mind was obviously stuck on some other matter. "Uhm, actually, Dad—"

"No, no, no, that hat will probably be infected. We can destroy it together! That seems fun, right?"

Scraggle rubbed a little at his arm, as if he too had just bitten it; mange must've been getting at him, just like his old man. "S-sure? I guess...?"

"Hahaa!" The Cardmaster, roughly, brought him over to his side, cuffing him around the neck. "Can you believe it? We're here, son! No more Skylanders! No more ailments, no more problems! Just easy sailing from here on out. We can finally go on that fishing trip! And you can have your first taste of ice cream!"

Scraggle gave him a blank look, a stare like stone. It was one all too familiar to his father; he'd invented it. The Cardmaster shifted his shoulders and gave an awkward laugh. He was trying just a tad bit hard to reconcile with the morsels of his fatherly side; yes, he already knew that. Having up to twenty pups, or maybe a little more over, had been more than a handful for the Master of Cards, even when he only carried one under his wing. One stumbling, fumbling, bumbling puppy. A runt of the litter. A travesty, dare he say it, of a pirate. And he couldn't help but pity him. The pup was curious, that was certain, staring at the world with big, wide eyes, thinking that every, living thing was his friend. So naive. Always looking for a fight. He was ready to flap his gums at any given moment, because he couldn't hurt a fly, because he wasn't blessed with magic. So weak. He could bawl at the slightest sign of blood, squealing like a gutted pig. So fragile. Always apologizing for something for something he didn't even do, for absolutely no reason at all. So pathetic. Unable to be left alone for a few seconds without screaming his lungs out.

So...sad.

Scraggle had reminded him of himself in so many ways. It was uncanny, unsettling. He was supposed to be his son, not his clone. The Cardmaster didn't like it; he didn't like it at all.

He didn't want the same for his own pup. If Scraggle was going to carry out the rest of the bloodline, he had to do it right—he had to do it perfectly. Keeping up with an embarrassment of a pirate was not on his to-do list. In fact, he wasn't planning for any bundles of joy at all! But it happened, and now he just had more problems to deal with. He breathed out, heavily, through his nose. Taking care of children wasn't easy. He already knew all this and more from his past experience with...the Trio. Terrible, troublemaking sisters. They weren't miracles, they were monsters. Those brats always got into his stuff, and still did! How did Ail put up with them for so long? He couldn't imagine looking after the twenty—maybe it was little overt twenty—pups he was supposed to be looking after Which is exactly why he didn't look after them. Simple as that. He was no babysitter; he was the captain of the Esper, the Master of Cards! He didn't have time to tell bedtime stories or time to give tickles or time for playing games or all the other trivialities in that sop. Scraggle was growing into a fine, young lad without all those things. Children were just little, sniveling distractions; you could pay attention to them or you could just ignore them.

"Dad, I—"

"We'll have tons of fun! And tons of treasure! Enough to buy you your very own ship! Maybe even an actual parrot, hm? Blue macaw or—"

Scraggle finally blurted. "I-I just don't think this is such a good idea!"

The Cardmaster nearly jumped out of his mangy skin at the comment. Everyone stopped; the seashanty came to an abrupt end, weapons were dropped, and jaws hung wide open. Only the sound of the seas and harsh winds filled the abyss of silence. Scraggle blanched back when his father turned around. The Cardmaster scrunched up his snout, showing all of his teeth. He put a paw before his mouth, cleared his throat, and spat out a single question. "What?"

Scraggle swallowed. His tiny furs prickled up like thorns. "I just think—"

"...**don't** think."

"—that this is kinda...unsafe?"

His question was only met with rude shouts and snarls, as expected. Giving a wired grimace, he lowered his head and pinned back his ears. "It's just that I've been having nightmares. Every one of them end in the same bad way. Th-the Cloud Kraken attacks us—and we all die!" The audience grew louder, but he carried on. "The Skylanders are rescued by some sort of giant whale god from the ocean, Dad! With this really cool chainy thing and big teeth and everything!"

Volleys of barks ripped the air,

"Oh, hogwash!"

"Shut yer lil' gob!"

"Put a muzzle on 'im, Cards!"

"B-but it's all true!" sputtered Scraggle. "Rudy saw it!"

Patches forced out an awful laugh, moving his mouth around the flesh of a rotten apple. Juice dribbled freely from his lips as he ate like a pig. "Mph, oh, pups an' their wild imaginations. Always comin' up with all sorts o' things. Really takes me back!" After slurping up a worm, throwing the apple at a furry head, he began to bark orders. "Go on now, mates, nothin' to see here! Time to bury the hatchet, yadayada! Those Skylosers aren't gonna murder themselves!" As they all went back to work, a crude grin curled on Patches' furry lips. Wiping his paws, sleazy as ever, he hopped towards The Cardmaster, who grimaced at his presence. "I can take 'im off your hands, cap'n! Little pups aren't gonna do much good on the battlefield, y'know? I'm good at pupsitting; just ask Hogface!"

Scraggle hugged onto The Cardmaster, pushing his face into his ragged, red shirt. "I don' need no pupsitter..." he mumbled.

The Cardmaster gripped him by his head and shoved Scraggle off with a growl. "What have I told you about personal space?" With a sigh, he turned back to Patches. "Take him to the Trio. He'll be safe with them."

"Ah, a fine choice! I was just about to suggest that!" Patches praised, much to The Cardmaster's annoyance. In a heartbeat, he yanked a shrieking Scraggle by his paw. "C'mon, you lil' wretch! Time to go! Your Daddy's got grownup stuff to do!"

Scraggle tried to rip himself from his grasp. He dug his feet into the floorboard. "Dad! I've got more to tell you! I-I saw something last night! I saw someone last night, someone important! You've got to listen to me! DAD!" Before he could run back, Patches snatched him up into his arms, slinging him over a shoulder. Scraggle squirmed. "It's important! DAD! DAAAAD! I MET RO—" A snarl from Patches instantly silenced the Seapup. He gave a whine.

Turning away from the sight, The Cardmaster grasped onto the golden rails of the Esper, looking off into the ocean. He had bigger things to worry about than a child. Like killing all those Skylanders for instance! To watch the blood seep from their wounds. To listen to every screech and cry. To see them writhe and squirm like pathetic worms in pain. To stare into their tearful eyes.

To hear their very, last breaths...

With all Skylanders gone, or perhaps mindless slaves if too good to waste, his best chum, Vathek, would reclaim his rightful place as King of Dragons. And The Cardmaster would be right there beside his friend. Rosemary and all of the others who had suffered from the Skylanders' wrath would be avenged. _Mmmh, they say revenge is a dish best served cold._ _Such delicious days those would be, _The Cardmaster thought.

_Don't count your chickens before they hatch_, The Cardmaster remembered his father's words, from a long, long time ago. The little, innocent Seapup he used to be had been so confident that he was going to be able to snag some fish that day, but hadn't got any at all.

Perhaps the fish and the Skylanders were no different.

What if he wasn't able to kill any Skylanders? What if he wasn't able to keep some as slaves? He guessed he'd be thrown into Cloudcracker Prison. No criminal was able to get out of that place, no matter how strong or smart. It was probably like a sick nightmare in there! But that wouldn't be the worst of it...

He heard that there were at least **sixteen** more Skylanders guarding that place. **SIXTEEN! **And that's not counting the other secrets they have hidden closed doors!

The Cardmaster couldn't handle that. He was _already_ mocked by sixteen Skylanders! He didn't need any more! Knowing how they would be walking in the hallways, strutting about like peacocks, but not able to get out and rip into their flesh would just be a constant reminder of how he failed, of how he failed to avenge those poor, innocent souls, and , most of all, how he failed to avenge his mother. But maybe Vathek had a chance, all he had to do was kill two, tiny dragonesses. That couldn't be so hard, right?

Ah, but none of that would happen. He would make sure of it. The Cardmaster would get his way. No matter how many sacrifices were made, no matter how much blood would be spilled.

No matter what.

* * *

_What is that **thing**?!_

The question of the day.

Mornings at the headquarters were not like that of those on the Malicious Mongrel. How so? For starters, there were no deadly parasites. Not one in sight. Snappers on a Skyship seemed like the title for a horror blockbuster, to the Swappers, well, it was reality, and for Boom Jet...

...it was a nightmare. A horrible, awful nightmare.

All this had to be in his head, right? Just a sick, twisted figment of **his** imagination? Effects of traveling? Nuh-uh. Nope. Heck no. Boom Jet really, really **wished** it was, though. He felt faint. Numb, as if a whole pack of Boghogs had trampled everything in his body. Shivers sent down his spine. Queasy? Uh-huh. Unsettled? Yes. Disturbed? Heck yes. Sick to his stomach, intestines in a tangle, Boom Jet had his entire face stuffed into a bucket.

Retching.

The skysurfer was quite the stranger to fear; this had almost been all brand new to him. He could take A LOT of things. If dared, he would do anything. Jump off the Kalamity Kliff? Sure! Drink a thousand gallons of expired Fizzy Juice? Why not! Swim with peckish piranhas? Wicked! Hear how a grotesque, squirmy parasite was living in the arm of a fellow teammate?

**NOPE, NOPE, NOPE! NOPITY NOPE!**

Those had been his exact words...and he really had time to say before he lost his contents. On the edge, of his bed, and his senses, the Skylander was horrified beyond belief. Gore never had been his strong suit. Well, he could sit though a marathon of bloody, over-the-top horror movies, but in real life? Right in front of him? The smell and sight of it all? The usual cuts, bruises, and shiners were nothing, absolutely nothing, compared to this! The wars he and the other Skylanders went through were nothing like this! He shuddered. His stomach hadn't been the only thing in distress. Everyone was in a flurry. Most were scared, few were stressed, one was, for some reason, amazed...

And then there was Fire Kraken. Oh, Fire Kraken. How Boom Jet envied him. That dragon was an utter enigma. He could find the bright side of every dark corner. He could find the sunniness on the a dreary, stormy afternoon. He...he could pretty much turn any bad situation into a good situation. Fire Kraken found the goodness in everything! Except Mondays. He could get...kinda cranky on early Monday mornings. Nevertheless, Fire Kraken was a cheery, young fellow. As helpful as he was hyperactive, the dragon would always be by one's side in time of need. He loved to help; he **DESIRED** to be helpful. It came as no surprise when Boom Jet felt a warm claw brushing up his back. "Shhh, there, there," he soothed, or at least tried to; his voice wasn't exactly like that of an angel. "Let it all out, let it all out. Everything's going to be alright."

Boom Jet would've snorted if wasn't busy gagging his guts out, if bile wasn't coming from his nostrils. Being snarky was one of his many specialties! "What exactly—" he sniffled—"is your idea of alright?"

Fire Kraken wrapped an arm around him. "Ohoho, you tease, you! Still making jokes when you're yakking! That's what I like about you, man; you're fearless! Oh, hey, ya know, what this reminds me of?" He didn't even wait for him to respond, but Boom Jet probably wouldn't have replied anyway. "This reminds me of that time you thought you could handle that gross, icky eel soda stuff. A-and the time with the expired chocolate! Oh-oh, and the time with those gummy bears! We thought that smell was coming from Stink Bomb! Oh, and..."

Boom Jet blocked out the rest of the ramble, or at least tried to; unfortunately, the bucket he had his head in only enhanced noise. The odds weren't in his favor, it seemed, as Fire Kraken wasn't the only one with a motorboat mouth. Grudgingly, Boom Jet finally looked up, groaning. "It's always something in this family...always something..." He turned to Fire Kraken with a mumble. A single strand of saliva hung from his mouth. "Well," he sounded a little delirious, a slur in his speech. Stricken sick, his face, or at least half of it, was a faint green, "I can safely say that this isn't going as planned..."

"We had a plan?"

"What? Of course, we had a—" Boom Jet stopped himself in mid-sentence. Did they really have a plan? It didn't really seem like it; they all just rushed into battle, blind, without any second thoughts or strategies or anything! "I honestly don't remember..."

"Don't remember? Do you have amnesia?!" Fire Kraken felt Boom Jet's forehead, or rather the top of his helmet, starting to worry. "What's two plus two? What's the secret to making guilt-free brownies? Only we know that! Think, Boom Jet, think! Do you know where you are?!"

"Kraken, I'm fine..." He didn't want to be seen, not like this, not like a helpless, barfing baby. He was independent. Truth be told, that had been his strength AND his weakness. "Thanks, but no thanks. I can handle this on my own. I'm not a kid." Carefully, Boom Jet had to weigh his words. Fire Kraken was the most sensitive on the team. He didn't want to be drowned in a river of scalding tears. Not today. "A-and don't talk about the secret recipe!"

"Of course you aren't a kid!"_ Pop!_ In a milisecond, he had a helmet in his hands—Boom Jet's helmet. Fire Kraken grinned, his voice a babyish whimper. "You're a wittle squirrel..."

Few Skylanders hid things; Double Trouble wore a mask, Stealth Elf covered up with a cloth, Flameslinger enveloped his eyes, and Star Strike cloaked her whole body. They all had their fair share of secrets.

Boom Jet happened to be apart of the no-shows. Half of his face was completely hidden! He liked to keep it that way, too. Without it, everyone, or at least the SWAP Force, thought he was an adorable, fluffy, absolutely and positively _wuvy-dovey-cutesy-wutsy_. Ugh! Just thinking about it made him want to vomit...again. Little, freckly specks laid under his big, brown eyes. Small spikes of fur stuck up from the back of his head, like that of a poky mullet or a miniature mohawk. He had a wriggling, bunny nose, pink and pretty. His tufty, tiny ears twitched and turned at every, single noise ever. Boom Jet covered the rest of his animal attributes fairly well, with gloves to hide his paws and his bushy tail tucked. He practically never showed his face. Other Skylanders would just belittle him if they knew the fuzzy-wuzzy face underneath. Though sometimes, the skysurfer did make some arrangements for the ladies...

He hadn't even tried to fight Fire Kraken; all that dry heaving could drain a guy's energy. Instead, he just forced a wide grin. "Oh no, my identity, it's been revealed," the Rocketeer said through his teeth.

"Awwww, there you are!" He, Boom Jet, was just rewarded by Fire Kraken with a rough nudge in the side. "Hiya, Nutmeg! It's been like ten thousand, jillon, kazillion years since I've seen your face, buddy!" That had just made it worse. His old name was just...embarrassing. Totally and utterly humiliating. Why did his mother even name him that? Who thought that was a good idea?

"It's Boom Jet. Boom Jet. Not Nutmeg."

"How 'bout Meg?"

"No."

"But it's soooo cute!"

Boom Jet only made a noise of irritation. It seemed as if Fire Kraken was filling in the role for Freeze Blade. Because who else could be annoying with him gone, right? " My dad gave that helmet to me, and I'd like to keep it in mint condition. Not burned, not toasted, not melting. I don't want you to break it like everything else in HQ." Fire Kraken silently mocked him, opening and closing his hand, turning it this way and that. "I swear, if you mess just one thing up, if I find even the littlest of scratches, I'll...do something unspeakably bad."

Fire Kraken was the equivalent of a puppy. Curious, playful, and...destructive. Really, really destructive. It had been like that since Day One. Boom Jet could only hope his trusty helmet would make it out unscathed. "Well said, Nutmeg," Hoggishly, Fire Kraken snorted out a snicker. That darn noise. "I won't mess it up—I promise! I never break a promise!"

"True." Boom Jet had to agree. Fire Kraken never did such a thing; he was as loyal as a scaly, fiery dove. It wasn't in his nature to lie and cheat. All of that was for the Undead...and perhaps Spy Rise, as well. "Alright, fine. You _are_ a horrible liar, anyway. I guess I can trust you. J-just don't do anything stupid."

A sly smile played about Fire Kraken's red lips. "Well, I can't promise **THAT**. Heheh!"

"And," Boom Jet added, "when you get bored, which you will, there's tons of other people who may need your assistance..."

"Huh-wha? Oh, them. Yeah, I can't help 'em; I'd die tryin'! I'm a good friend, not a miracle worker!"

"Ain't that the truth..."

It was if almost everyone was in their own personal predicament. No one really looked like they were having a good time...and no one really sounded like it either.

Especially Spy Rise and Wash Buckler,

"This is all your fault! I knew we should've taken him to the hospital sooner or later!"

"My fault? How is this my fault?! You can't just blame me for no reason, Spy Rise!"

"I'm not blaming you without reason, Wash Buckler! You're the leader; you should've thought of something else then just 'get better soon'!"

"Jabb said he'd be fine!"

"Jabb? That drunkard cheetah thinks that koalas are bears! He's a know-it-all who doesn't know anything!"

"Well—wait, koala bears aren't real...bears?"

"**NO!** They're marsupials!"

"So they're like kangaroos? T-that's not true; they look nothing like them!"

"It's true! Female koalas have—oh, you've gotten me off-topic! One of our teammates might be dying and you're talking about fuzzy animals of the Phascolarctidae family!"

"Okay, now you're just making up words!"

Boom Jet sighed. At first, this just seemed like an usual argument, nothing to get too worried about, but the simple squabble was getting more and more heated by the minute. Literally. Smoky streams arose from Spy Rise's exterior, making an entire smokescreen around their little arena. But all the anger and frustration was more evident on the SWAP Force's leader, Wash Buckler. His skin had completely changed its color, from a bright aqua to a dark maroon!

_"Mermasquids are just like mood rings." Tessa once said in a scroll. "Well, GOOD mood rings, not the cheap ones."_

Their feelings were always crystal clear and every color had a meaning. Surprise, joy, fear, love, sadness...admittedly, that one was a bit confusing, him being already blue and all. Unlike young inklings, adult Mermasquids could easily control this weird ability with a little bit of elbowgrease. They could even blend in to their environments like chameleons! Being raised by a whole, different species, however, Wash Buckler didn't quite get the hang of it yet...

"And in other news..." Boom Jet's attention veered off. There was nothing new about the two's bickering; it was always the same. They acted like an old, married couple; everyone on this team did! His eyes soon set onto the two Sneakers, who appeared to be following the Climbers' lead. Intently, Rattle Shake watched, keeping a close eye on the dynamic duo, for Trap Shadow had something in his grubby claws.

The Snapper.

It had been contained in a plastic jar, one splattered with the parasite's own venomous and viscous, gross fluids. The demon had burned through every jar they found, and it probably would've burned through this one if Rattle Shake wasn't having a cowboy stareoff with it. With a quick hiss and the quiver of his tail, he kept the nasty thing under control...kind of.

A baby, Boom Jet had heard him call it, a newborn. Well, it was one, ugly freaky-looking baby. A mixture of nubby, stubby, sharp, and short fangs protruded from its drooling maw. Spiked spines snaked all the way from its snout to its tail, crowning the beast with a crest of bluish horns. Flaps of flesh hung off the sides of its head, as if it had little ears. Beady, white eyes spun in their sockets, a thin, translucent eyelid sliding up like blinds as it blinked from time to time. In its pale, blue skin, Boom Jet could see every individual vein, tissue, and organ, even from afar! It was as if it was made of glass!

Trap Shadow wasn't disgusted. At all. Not a lick. Boom Jet wasn't that surprised by this; the cat was...strange. In celebration of Wash Buckler's birthday, he actually wrapped up a poor bluebird and stuffed it inside a little box. A late present, obviously. _Trap Shadow had said, "It reminded me of you. Because...err...it's blue. It can be your parrot. All pirates have parrots, right?" _Sometimes, the Swappers would even find more _presents_ hidden in between the sofa.

This time, Trap Shadow was actually_ respecting_ an animal! Well, terrifying parasite or whatever it was. He was admiring it, up close and personal, as if it was a rare, godly entity of sorts. How could he even look at it for that long? Trap Shadow really was a mystery. The freaky feline was practically giggling like a kid in a candy store! "Oh, what a trophy, what a prize. Just look at this fantastic beast! It's amazing, it's epic, it's..." He pushed his snout to the front of the container. "Breathtaking. Absolutely breathtaking. There's so many possibilities! I could turn you into some boots or a new belt. Or maybe a cool headband? A tie? No, no, too much clothing, I don't like ties. You may be difficult to skin, actually."

"What? What are you even going on about?" Stink Bomb was in disbelief. "I'm supposed to see the beauty in all walks of life but that...that thing's..."

"A beautiful butterfly, that's what it is. Hey, what do you think I should do with this puppy? I could eat it, but the meat's probably all stringy."

"Whoa, whoa, what?! You were just fawning over it and now you want to eat it?!"

"Yep, that sounds about right. Hey, you still haven't answered my question: what do you think I should do with it? Should I make some boots or a belt? What do you think? You're the artist here."

"What do I think? What do _I _think?" Stink Bomb laughed a little. "I think..." He flailed his arms, looking like a Storm Chicken without its head. "I think you're a complete psychopath! I-If anything, we should let it free into the Outlands, to be with its own kind. We have no right to keep a wild animal locked up; it's not a pet."

"Well, we need a new pet. Do you think Wash Buckler will let me keep it?"

"Trap Shadow, you ate the last pet we owned."

"Circle of life, baby," said Trap Shadow, followed with a low purr. He swiped his tongue over his teeth. "But you wouldn't understand, having food ever so _generously_ given to you all your life, like a dumb, zoo animal, like a pet. That fish you were talking about, yeah, he was absolutely divine..." His smirk widened into a smile, as if he was mimicking the Cheshire Cat. "...to die for."

Stink Bomb, bitterly, said. "You're sick."

"And you stink; what else is new? Hey, Scales, what do you think we should do with this?"

Moving like lightning, Rattle Shake turned on him like bad sushi, his body a whip. He looked as if he wanted to bite his head clean off! His icy gaze made Trap Shadow's hackles rise. The snake he held as a gun in his hands—Osirus—followed the leader and gave a chilling hiss, tongue flailing. "**I **think you should stop parading it around, cat."

"Whoa! Holy-" Trap Shadow staggered back in surprise, nearly falling over. Cupping a claw to his mouth, he cleared his throat. "I mean...point noted, bug-eyed cobra. You people are no fun. Hey, Blast Zone, have you been listening? What do you think I should do with this thing? Eat it, kill it, or wear it. Well, I'd be killing it either way..."

"Eat it, kill it, wear it?!" Stink Bomb was_ not_ a happy camper; such comments about nature made him act like more of a vicious wolverine than a shy skunk. A burst of musk exploded from his bushy tail as it bristled up, shaking. "Seriously?!"

"Is your name Blast Zone? I wasn't asking you."

The furnace knight in question slightly shrugged, his armor clinking at the light movement. He was in a shadowy, shady corner of the room, where Chester had made a whole nest of miscellaneous goods and other trivial things. "Trap Shadow, I'd advise not to anger anyone else; this isn't the time to joke around. There are more important matters to attend to..." Momentarily, Blast Zone closed his eyes. "...and I've come to realize that not all of us can understand that, unfortunately." His mind was clearly set elsewhere. The usual fiery fierceness in his voice was no where to be found; it sounded as if he was hollowed out. His flames were dimmed, his head was hung, and his flaming jetboots weren't even above the ground, just barely touching the floorboard.

Earlier, he had tried his best to interfere with the Climbers' quarrel, but it was of no avail. Every time a shot was fired, Blast Zone fired up in a millisecond. Now, he just seemed...sulky, like a moody, pubescent teenager. This day wasn't going right for anyone was it?

"Mhn, well, someone's depressed. I'll just leave you to wallow in your misery now..." Trap Shadow turned to someone else for an answer. A smirk crossed his face; it was a clear sign of what was to come: mischief. "N_iiii_ght Shift," he said the vampire's name slow, "what do you think I should do with this?"

"Night Shift?" Stink Bomb stared at his teammate as if he'd gone insane...which he kind of had. Who in their right mind would ask Night Shift for help with a personal problem?! "Do you really think he care-"

Trap Shadow gave him a great shove. "Silence is golden. Now, Night Shift..."

"What?" His answer was in the form of a bitter hiss. Night Shift didn't even turn around. "Am busy, working. What do you want?" For whatever reason, when angered, he seemed to forget how to speak and where to add words, shortening his sentences into grumbles like a caveman.

"Ah, I don't mean to interrupt but..."

Bad idea. Very bad idea. If nearly everyone else was mad, just how cranky would the grumpiest Skylander in history be? Night Shift was not really an...approachable person. He gave out punches like candy! Friend, foe, whatever Freeze Blade was classified as, it didn't matter. Interrupt him and never speak again. The SWAP Force, or at least some of them, got the picture. Most of the time.

What exactly was he busy with?

Draining Freeze Blade's precious blood.

Oh, no, no, this was a good thing! Now, admittedly, that didn't sound very safe, but Night Shift wasn't actually purging himself like Count Dracula or something. In bat form, he clutched onto whatever fur he could grab, as if he were climbing a furry mountain. Using his tongue like a shovel, he was, ever so carefully, removing venom from the wound, sucking it out from the bloodstream. Green fluids dribbled from the Frost Feline's arm, down into a bucket below. He wasn't doing this alone, as his fellow Teleporter, Hoot Loop, was stitching up what he could with sparkly purple thread...from somewhere. Magic, Boom Jet had presumed. That owl was always messing up with paradoxes and alternate dimensions and whatever else was possible for a weirdo like him.

"Now, now, Trap Shadow," he warned and waggled a finger, like a mother, "we're already dealing with _one_ injury. I can't fix missing teeth."

Trap Shadow was persistent. He always got a kick out of looking for a fight. A disputatious, truculent, obstreperous fellow. Whatever all that meant; Blast Zone passed out colossal words like they were candy! Sometimes it truly seemed like he was a little kitten trapped in a big, bulky body. He was still living in the feral world, thinking that being the biggest, scariest, and toughest was all that mattered. In his mind, that made him better than everyone else. "Figures," Snout stuck up in the air, Trap Shadow huffed and folded his arms. "Don't have time for little, ol' me anymore, hm? Of course—of course, you don't. You only care about him—you only care about the kitten," Like usual, he made himself look important, chest puffed, fur fluffed. "What about us? We get cuts and bruises and scars all the time, but when this happens? Depressed, mopey, like some sort of soppy teenager after a dumb breakup. Quite admirable, this act you've been keeping up for all these years," A little snort escaped him. He really didn't know just when to shut up. "Cute. Poetic, kind of. The tin man really does have a heart. Well, it's only exclusive to _him_, anyway. Not to anyone else because, you know, they're not important. Say, where's that friendship bracelet of yours?"

Night Shift shook like a leaf, but it wasn't out of fear; it was wholly out of rage! His ears flicked and his wings twitched. A few Swappers immediately stepped back, holding up their hands, moving behind Doom Stone, who held out his indestructible, gem-encrusted shield, and huddling up. Oh, yeah, he was definitely about to explode. Boom Jet really, really wanted his helmet back; he needed all the protection he could get in a situation like this. Instead, he acquired himself with a pillow and put it onto his head, covering his ears. Stink Bomb, much to Boom Jet's surprise, hadn't actually taken cover! A scowl contorted his face and a snarl escaped from him. He balled his claws into quivering fists. _He_ was literally about to explode. Now **that** had really made Boom Jet pray for mercy. Double whammy.

Luckily, only annoying, loudmouthed purple smilodons were harmed in the making of this fight.

_WHAP! _Trap Shadow didn't take a punch to the face—he took a tail to the face! Night Shift wasn't the early bird this time! "**AHCK!** What the-" Hacking like mad, hissing and spitting, Trap Shadow staggered back as if he had just been stabbed. He pawed at his blinded eyes. "You fu-_-aaaaAAAA_**_AAACK_, BY THE GODS! I'M GONNA SKIN YOU, I SWEAR!**"

"You know that isn't true! You know it!" Irritated, Stink Bomb grabbed him by his bandana. "He's our teammate, he's apart of our family! He cares for all of us!" Anger: that one emotion he rarely even showed. Pushing his buttons definitely wasn't a smart idea. Trap Shadow should've known that; he'd been practically an aiming target for Stink Bomb. Every poke, every prod, it all landed him in a bathtub of tomatoes or a weird, chemical wash of something Spy Rise cooked up. Both were terrible, as Trap Shadow usually crawled out within a moment's notice.

_"Y'know, I tugged on his tail, laughed at his girly ponytail, called him a dumb ferret a few times. Just teasing around and stuff, the usual. But, noooo, I've got to get pinkeye for the fifth time this month! Unbelievable," he had once said, shaking off like a shaggy dog. _Boom Jet was just surprised he still had his sharp sense of smell; that stupid cat had been sprayed the most out of the whole group. Whatever the reason, Trap Shadow didn't look to be stopping anytime soon. Maybe it was just brotherly love? Wash Buckler always thought so.

Trap Shadow rubbed at his poor snout, sneezing, trying to rid his nostrils of fetid musk. His voice went nasally. "Why, thank you, Captain Obvi-" Another tail whip was sent his way, one more fiercer than the last. A whole cloud of the stuff was sent up this time. Trap Shadow made a terrible noise, as if he was about to hack up a dozen hairballs. "**HRAWWRCKK!** Awgh, stop it! You're getting it in my eyes! You little—" He sputtered and spat, locks of gross, green fur stuck on his tail.

"**HAHAAHAHA!**" Night Shift, who was smiling the entire time, burst out into laughter loud enough to wake the dead, startling a few feathers right off of Hoot Loop. He pointed at the coughing cat with a wing, howling. "**YOU IDIOT! HAHAHAA!**" He sounded as if he was going to bust a gut. The vampire nearly lost hold of his patient's icy arm, hanging by strands of fur. Freeze Blade twitched a little at the pain, or at least seemed to. "Thank you..." With a wing, Night Shift wiped a genuine tear from an eye, still snickering. "Thank you for existing, Stink Bomb."

Just as he was about to lift a paw, claws out and ready, Stink Bomb stopped, and so did his reign of rage. Poof! Gone! No more! His prickly fur went back down and his tail drooped. He put a hand behind his head. "Oh, stop it, you old fart. You know what they say about the Bigtail; I'm just here to make sure little kittens know when to shut their mouths and go to sleep." But, of course, he wasn't finished yet. Stink Bomb was a rather_ humble_ fellow. He took a bow. Countless bows. "Thank you, thank you! Y-you're too kind! Way too kind. Way, way, way too—"

"Cut it out."

"Will do!"

Everyone turned their heads, as Spy Rise shouted, "Don't lay those slimy, blue noodles on me!" Screaming like something like _that_ was sure to get some attention.

Wash Buckler shoved him. "I do what I want! I'm your leader!"

"Oh, wow," Grilla Drilla clapped, as slow as possible, "congratulations, guys. It's been like—what—five minutes since you've had this argument. I'm impressed. A new record, yip-yip-hurray." It was hard to tell if he was even being sarcastic or not; what he said was the truth! "Truly, truly amazing. I'm without words, speechless, absolutely speech—**OW!**" The head of a hammer conked him right in the back of his head, helmet nearly flying off. **  
**

"If you're absolutely speechless, then stop blabberin', you baboon!" Invariably, Rubble Rouser laid down the law, whether anyone appreciated it or not. He was the rock of the team, a mountain more or less. If Wash Buckler was away, or in an argument of his own, he wedged himself in between fights like a roadblock. The guy was a stone wall, bombs, stars, and rockets were thrown, only to bounce back with greater force in the form of a walloping hammer. Ironically, instead of starting rabbles, he stopped them in their tracks. Growling, the Stonesapien focused a stern gaze on his drilling partner, making the Drilla's fur rise. "There ain't no need to git all bitter 'bout it, Drills, even if they are actin' as dumb as dodos. I don't know 'bout ya'll, but.." He leaned back, shouldering his weapon of choice: the _Problem Pounder_, as Wash Buckler called it. "I-I just hope they stop soon. All this yappin' ain't gettin' them, or Freeze Blade, nowhere. Been goin' on for a little longer than usual, doncha think? Just a smidge worrying..."

"Ah, don't worry about it," said Free Ranger, lofty as can be. His feathers were bushed out, prim and proper, head held high. Funny, seeing how a few minutes ago he was freaking out alongside everyone else, screaming, squawking, ranting and raving. Stink Bomb actually had to threaten him with a old sock just to make him shut up! That chicken never did well under stress...or in tiny spaces. "I'm sure they'll get over it. This is the everyday norm, nowadays. Testosterone, you know? I think fighting is all just trivial fun to them. We Storm Chickens fight all the time! Though, now that I think about it, it's usually only over females..."

"I know, I know, it's just that..." His words trailed away into nothing more than a murmur. He looked down. "It's not them that I'm frettin' about..."

"No, they're gettin' somewhere, Rubble Rouser, they're getting somewhere alright..." Grilla Drilla rose to his hairy legs only to crash down with a snarl, smashing golden-clad knuckles into the floorboard. He showed yellow teeth, canines and all sundry. The Drilla looked as if he wanted to rip someone's spine out, nostrils flared and eyes bright. "They're getting on my last nerves that's what! I can't take it anymore! This is-" He didn't even finish that sentence; instead, he bashed and beat his chest, as if it were a drum.

Free Ranger only found humor in this, shaking with mirth. What was he laughing about? Everyone else felt the same way Drills did; enough was enough. "Oh, ye of little faith. There's no need to get that messy fur of yours in a frazzle. We should be optimistic about this; mayhaps all this brutality is good for them! They've been needing to get a few things of their chests. All of this bottled up anger has to go somewhere, right?"

"Oh, sure, okay, okay," Grilla Drilla sniffed at the comment, rolling his eyes, "we can go with that, I can work with that..." His brows furrowed. "But let me ask you this, birdbrain...how can we be optimistic..." Going ape, the Drilla leapt up and down, up and down, screaming. "**WHEN ONE OF OUR TEAMMATES IS ON HIS FREAKING DEATH BED?!**" He_ did_ say that his twice-removed cousin was a howler monkey.

"Well, it's simple really, I mean-" His sentence was cut short, for realization struck. "D-did you just call me birdbrain?"

"No, oh, no, I would never! That totally wasn't the word that just said directly at you, no! Yeah, no, I actually called you Kentucky Fried. Sorry for the misunderstanding, my bad."

Hand over his heart, aghast, in the most dramatic of manners, Free Ranger reeled back. "You monster! Why, I-I am offended! Greatly offended! How dare you, y-you swine!"

"Swine? I'm a primate, not a pig. Get your facts straight, feather mattress."

"Feather mattress? Is that the best you could come up with? Seriously?"

"Now, don't you mock me!"

"You were the one who starting the mocking in the first place!"

It came as no surprise that Grilla Drilla was causing an uproar—he was the common ruffian—but Free Ranger? Yeah, no. Any fight with him usually involved something about weather. Aggression was getting at everyone, it seemed. From the grinding of his teeth to the clenching of his fists, Boom Jet could easily tell Rubble Rouser was getting pretty aggravated. He couldn't blame him; anyone would be angered by their antics. Thus, Boom Jet was not surprised by the Stonesapien's next action. Like a beast, Rubble Rouser launched to his feet with a brutish bellow. No, not like—he _was _a beast. "**CALM DOWN, MEN!**" Swinging his hammer over their thick heads and numb skulls, wildly, he shouted. "Gob your yappin' gabbers! You've got no reason to go on about fightin' and such! I know ya'll are mad about the situation, but it happened, and there's nothin', absolutely nothin', we can do about that now! This ain't no one's fault. Stop goin' at each others throats like mad mongeese and listen up!" He jabbed himself in his chest with a finger. "**I'M **the only one 'round these parts who can start an uproar! Me! It's in my name for goddarn's sake! Rubble Rouser, rabble rouser! It's a pun! A **PUNNY **name, ya hear? I can stop fights just as quickly as I can start 'em, just you wait and see! So, I suggest ya'll simmer down, sit down, and shut up...or else's someone's gonna be pummeled to a pretty, lil' pulp!"

The unlucky pair tried to duck with every wild swing. Unfortunately, they weren't very successful. Rubble Rouser really, truly did look intent on bashing out their brain matter.

"Woah, woah, woah! Hey, I was just kiddin' around!"

"Easy there! Watch where you're swinging that thing!"

Boom Jet smirked a little, then smiled, and then grinned. Snorting, he had to muffle his mirth into his a hand; laughing out loud would only earn him a bruise, too. _Classic comedy_, he thought, cracking up. Nothing was better than slapstick. Nothing was better than watching said slapstick from afar. He wasn't sure if he wanted to stick around and watch, or be mature and interfere. Option A sounded more enjoyable, for him, anyway. Option B was what Wash Buckler would've wanted, but he wasn't even paying attention to anyone else, ignoring them, locked onto his only target. Option A it was, definitely. He knew he was a Skylander and all, but really? No one was getting hurt. Much. _I'll just get up if anything get's messy, but for now, _he sat back, resting his arms behind his head, _I can't let this front row seat go to waste._

Someone did step in, however. Or at least tried his very best to.

"Hey, guys! Guys, stop! There's no need to worry! No need to worry at all!" Stink Bomb was also a bit of a peacekeeper. He didn't get that catchphrase just because of his gift. Well, it was mostly because of that, but it worked either way. Despite being softspoken, Stink Bomb always had his saying in an argument, whether it be a whisper or a shout, a whimper or a yawp. He never did like seeing his teammates in a quarrel. What a hippie. Although, sometimes, if he was feeling lazy, he simply just strode by, letting his odor do all the work for him. Cropdusting, that's what he called it, and it could certainly break up any fight in the world.

He rose his paws in defense, as he knew, as well as everyone else, an irritable Rubble Rouser was no joke. As soon as the Stonesapien lowered his weapon, Stink Bomb continued. "Rattle Shake already said that Freeze Blade will recover. No fighting needed. He may be sick, but he's not on his deathbed; no one's dying."

"Ah, well, I can't be so sure about that," Rattle Shake softly hissed to himself, a little rumble of amusement. He eyeballed the Snapper, as a predator would do with prey. "Maybe this little wretch will meet its maker..."

Rubble Rouser sighed. "Look, I'm tryin' my hardest t'keep positive here, too, Stink Bomb. But if he ain't comatosed, unconscious, or dyin', then what in Eon's name is he doin'? Besides scarin' us silly!"

"Easy question," Paws on his hips, the Swampskunk looked confident as ever, tail raised high like a flag. "He's just...just...erm..." LOOKED was the key word here. He couldn't find the right words, tongue gone missing. His tail drooped. "I think-we think-Rattle Shake said...he's just sleeping."

"Sleeping?"

"Sleeping. Taking a little cat nap."

"Just how long is this cat nap gonna take?"

Stink Bomb made a noise, a whimper, as if he was unsure. He clamped his paws together. "You see—we haven't really—" Rubble Rouser hardened his already stonecold face. The answer was obvious: I don't know. Boom Jet could tell that Stink Bomb had no idea, and was afraid of telling everyone exactly that. Poor guy. "It-"

"He should've been awake by now." Rattle Shake slithered out in front of him, as if acting like a shield; Earth Elementals could get really out of hand_ really_ fast. He spoke with clipped, clear words. "That is what this stuttering skunk is trying to say, hermano."

Rubble Rouser's face softened, by Stonesapien standards, anyway. He snickered a little. "I wasn't gonna hurt 'im, ya know?"

"Ah, well, I have to be cautious. Stress is biting at everyone..." Rattle Shake flickered his tongue out at Stink Bomb. He buffeted him with a quick thwack to the back of the noggin. "And a bump on that head will only make his appearance more unpleasant. Nobody wants to look at that."

Stink Bomb hissed through gritted teeth, shoving the snake. "Kutabare."

"Aw, gracias, how sweet," Rattle Shake laid a hand onto the skunk's shoulder. "Unfortunately, I am already Undead."

Rubble Rouser soon creased his face into a full-blown smile. He didn't snicker anymore; he gave hearty, belly laughs. Free Ranger, probably feeling a bit out of place, started to laugh as well. Grilla Drilla, however, only sniffed, stalefaced. His anger went without notice. Chuckling, the other Driller clamped his arms around Free Ranger's waist, lifting the, now shrieking, Storm Chicken into the air. He squeezed him as if he was a giant, stuffed animal. "Haha, I can never stay mad at you boys for so long!"

"Aaaah! Crushing my ribs! You're crushing my ribs!"

Rubble Rouser tried to the same with Grilla, but he stalked away and out of reach, irritated. He scowled, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, t-this bilingual banter and fluffy stuff is cute and all, real cute, buuuut..." He nodded, beckoningly, at their little predicament: Freeze Blade.

"Mm?" Rattle Shake blinked in confusion. "What is left to be said? Freeze Blade will survive."

"But how do you know?" Grilla Drilla slowly stepped forward. He locked eyes with the Bouncer. "You don't really know he'll survive; you're not pyschic. How do you know he's not already dead?!"

"He's bre-"

The Drilla launched up onto his hinds and got right into his teammate's face, locking eyes, green meeting blue. His messy fur prickled up to their points, as he, once more, showed off some teeth, shouting through them. "HE COULD BE DYING ON THE INSIDE."

Though he stiffened, Rattle Shake kept his composure...and looked down.

Grilla Drilla was clenching his fists. A fight? Another one? Wow, everyone really was up and at it!

Stink Bomb snuck back behind his personal bodyguard with a nervous giggle. "So how's that weather, Free Ranger?"

Free Ranger, looking thankful to be back on the ground, eagerly replied. "Oh, it's fantastic! Forecast calls for heavy precipitation, on and off thunderstorms throughout the evening, and those pesky Rapid—" Rubble Rouser put a heavy hand on Free Ranger's feathery shoulder, instantly silencing him with a stern stare. Dejected, the Storm Chicken looked down and shuffled his feet.

Rattle Shake, with the flicker of his tongue, narrowed his eyes down to slits. His tail flicked to and fro, making its notorious nose. "Do you not trust me, Grilla Drilla?" he asked with flat voice.

"What?" Grilla Drilla stumbled back a little, as if taken by surprise. "I-I never said that! Wha-what makes you think that?! I just...nev-nevermind!" His voice was only a huff, a mumble through ground teeth. He fumbled for the door, shoulders hunched, head low. Stink Bomb started for him, but fell back in line, shifting uncomfortably. "I need to cool off for a bit. I have to punch a few barrels...or something." Before he left, the Drilla stared at Rattle Shake, then looked at Freeze Blade, and finally went on his pouty way, outside.

As soon as the door clicked, Rubble Rouser was the first to start the backbiting. "What in tarnation was that all about?!"

Trap Shadow gave a shrug. "Just another day in the office. Drama queens; there's one in every family. Maybe more..."

Rattle Shake sighed, the noise reverberating down and around within the walls of his throat. Rubbing Osirus' head, he stared at the floor. "He still does not trust me. I should've known."

"Ah, well," Stink Bomb clapped his reptilian friend on the back, "he'll learn in time. I mean, I'm still scared of you; I still haven't learned! You are literally the scariest person I've ever met-and I-I mean that as a compliment! He probably didn't mean it anyway. Spills his mind, that ape. It's just in his nature."

"It ain't in mine," Rubble Rouser grunted. "He needs t'stop flappin' those gabby gums of his 'fore he gets turning into a banana split; he can keep his mopey problems t'himself. I don't know about you folks, but I'm seriously considerin' knockin' some sense into that big skull of his. By force."

"Don't fret; I wouldn't worry about it much. It's just how Drillas are."

Drillas were extremely social, living in whole, big families of several sisters, bunches of brothers, and countless cousins. Lots of troops, groups of Drillas, in Skylands were all related, really. Functional, orderly...the complete opposite of the SWAP Force. In Grilla's kingdom, no one ever kept secrets and no one lied. Such things were treat like crimes, punishable by their laws. Some legends say that a Drilla's sniffer can tell the difference between a lie and the truth; they could literally smell a rat!

"Mmhm," Trap Shadow slowly nodded, his arms folded. "I get those feelings, too. It's just instincts, in our blood. Sometimes I feel like going to do my business in the bushes, but do I do it? Yes. Sometimes."

"Okay, stop, I really...I really did not need to know that..."

"Hey, you can take the beast out of the wild, but you can't the wild out of the beast."

"And apparently they can't be potty trained either..."

"Says the smelly skunk who can't control his own glands. Very wise words, master."

"At least I have the decency to wear pants..."

"You never wash them. And besides, pants are unnatural, abnormal, and completely unnecessary!" He shuddered, purple fur prickling to a point. "Pants..._ugh_..."

Rubble Rouser ignored their antics, shifting his attention back to Rattle Shake. "For the record, I kind of believe you, Shakes. I mean, you've never been wrong before. It's sorta like you're magic or somethin'!"

"Why yes," Free Ranger agreed, nodding his head. "You've always saved our..." he hesitated. "...bacon...in desperate hours. How do you do it? It's truly mystifying, very mystifying."

Rattle Shake laughed. "Gracias, friends. You're too kind. I suppose it just happens-" Words coming to a crashing halt, as if interrupted by sound on he could hear. His whole body went rigid and his eyes widened, pupils shrinking. His tail bent up, noisemaker frozen in time. "Something is wrong..."

Before anyone could question the comment, they too were interrupted.

"**AWWWOOOOR!**"

The noise was earsplitting, deafening. Everyone stiffened in surprise and shock. It could wake the quick and the dead! It was enough to even get Wash Buckler and Spy Rise to stop fighting! Stink Bomb, with a squeak, leapt into Trap Shadow's arms. Fire Kraken nearly dropped his new toy, much to Boom Jet's distaste, who actually wasn't that surprised; when you were friends with Sonic Boom, things could get a little loud. _Really_ loud.

_Zzip!_ There went another weird noise! The Mongrel shook sickeningly, as if she was grabbed by something, yanked back. With a moan, she leaned, she tipped.

The SWAP Force didn't even know what hit them.

* * *

_Pardon my songwriting. I've read too many books with furry animals singing shanties.  
_


	19. Before the Storm

_Been working on these next few chapters since May. If you didn't know already, I'm quite the procrastinator. Again, can't thank you all enough for sticking with the story. The announcement of SWAP Force 2.0—I mean Superchargers, that's definitely what I mean—threw me off for a while. Can't wait! Maybe I'll have a new family on my hands, the Superfamily?_

_...nah. Besides, I haven't talked about the Trapfamily yet! Oh, yeah, I forgot; they're coming._

* * *

_Nighttime._

_Thoughts on the topic varied amongst the Skylanders. To some, it was a gift, one that they welcomed with open arms. The Undead used it to their full potential, whether it be for leisure or for work, with Cynder catching up on a few winks or Hex honing her casting skills without the remarks from wary teammates. Others were...not so fond of the dark of the night. Nighttime meant no sunlight, which meant a few, unhappy Life Skylanders. Camo would spend his time watering Eon's plants, making sure they were good and well, but when night came only a frown would be on his face. Even Tree Rex had to admit he liked the way the sun shone down on him. Even those out of the Life Element were indifferent. Being the ball of fire that he was, Fire Kraken didn't like it simply because everyone sent him to sleep. Some just didn't like how plain creepy it was! To them it was a horror show!_

_To Freeze Blade, it was just another joyride!_

_While most were asleep, tucked away in their beds, among the trees, under a rock, in the sky, or beneath the sea, Freeze Blade, along with a few of his Undead friends from, as he called it, around town, were always a far cry from being drowsy. He couldn't waste his life away by sleeping! To satisfy his desires, the Frost Feline skated on and on, around and around, all throughout the night and all throughout Skylands. Freeze Blade treated the world as his own personal roller rink, where he could do whatever he wanted, whenever he wanted. Nightclubs, parties, raves, being a Speedster, this cool cat had been to it all in the matter of seconds. As soon as the sun rose, the Swappers woke up to find him crashed out in the strangest of places. One time, they found him stuck headfirst in the Enchanted Pool of Woodburrow, half inside and half outside of the hidden realm itself!_

_Good times. Goooood nights._

_Tonight definitely wasn't one of those nights._

_Freeze Blade, robbed of sleep, found himself plucked from the comfort of his bed...and placed right in the middle of a nightmare._

_Well, for starters, everything was psychedelic! The night sky was a horrible mishmash of neons and pastels, bright against light. Wooden hobbles looked as if they had been coated entirely by sweet, sugary candies, swirled and striped—some were even upside down! Blue flames lapped at everything and anything they could reach, eating, engulfing homes in whorls of funky-looking fire. Torched sheep floated up to the strange skies like fluffy balloons, flailing. Everything was just so...wrong! Just so_—

_"Trippy..." Freeze Blade breathed, taking in all the sights with wide, bright eyes. Now, he had been on some MAJOR FREAKY adventures in the past—catnip was a beautiful thing—but nothing was a strange as whatever this was! Everything looked as if it had just been thrown right out of the rabbit hole! Freeze Blade stuffed one finger into an ear and did the same to the other; he couldn't hear anything! It was as if he was watching someone's dream on mute. How long was it before he started to see pink elephants? Had someone poisoned him? Was he going to wake up without a kidney? "Oh cheese and rice," His eyes watered up, as all the flashy images made them burn. "It's like a hippie just threw up everywhere..." Before he could lose his own cookies, Freeze Blade put his paws onto his knees, and blur zipped right past him._

_A purple blur._

_"SKYLANDERS!"_

_"Woah!" Really, really bad time for his ears to turn back on—that shout pierced right through his brain! Ringing bounced about in his ears. Wincing, he held his head in one paw. Did that guy have to yell so loud? Who was that anyway? He ducked down, giving a yelp, as his answer came flying right over him. The Skylander lost his balance and ended up on his behind. His eyes grew big. Spyro! Or...at least he thought so. That thing kind of, sort of looked like him. Like a wispy, ghost form of Spyro; Freeze Blade could almost see right through him. Was that a thing? He hadn't ever seen his other forms in action. This must've been the Undead one, right? Some sort of phantom? As he flew, his wings trailed out, tendrils of gold flowing from them. Multicolored spurts of fire streamed out the corners of his mouth, lighting up his scales. Was that really Spyro? Could he breathe rainbow flames on a whim like that? Freeze Blade hadn't seen anything like that before! But, then again, he hadn't known the Purple Dragon that well; they'd literally just met a few months ago, during Kaos' attempt to plague Mount Cloudbreak. Swooping out from the sky, Spyro scaled the front of a burning building and perched upon its roof like a gargoyle._

_"Don't lose hope! We can't leave until we find him! Stick together, never surrender!" he bellowed, stamping a claw down. "He has to be around here somewhere! Keep looking!" There was something wrong with his voice, something strange. It sounded almost as if he was drowning underwater! And what was he talking about? There was absolutely no one here! This place was practically a ghost town! Had he officially lost his mind? Keeping track of all the Skylanders must've muddled with it. Perhaps they were both seeing things. "Evacuate as many as you can—evacuate everyone! Knifeteeth will be found! TONIGHT!" He hinged his jaws and gave a mighty roar. "FOR SKYLANDS!"_

_Definitely Spyro. Only he said that on a daily basis, even if he wasn't in battle, even if he was asleep!_

_Pink smoke streaming from his nostrils, the Purple Dragon of Legend leapt off the roof. Flames erupted from his mouth as he span into a tight corkscrew, the fire spinning with him, coiling like a snake around his body. Definitely Spyro. Only he was that much of a show-off. Freeze Blade tapped a claw to his chin. Maybe we should start hanging out more, he thought, can't talk to Boom Jet anymore without breaking somethin' in his little workshop, heh! His ears perked up. If he was a Magic Skylander, a light bulb would've popped up above his head. Talk! TALK! He was a master at running his mouth; why hadn't he opened it sooner? "Spyro! Hey, Spyro, what's going on?! HEY! SPYRO!"_

_The leader of the Cores was gone, high above the colorful clouds._

_Freeze Blade, body slumping, ears drooping, gave a sigh. "Was it something I didn't say?" A little chuckle slipped out from him. "Heheh, something I didn't say!" What? Who ever said the clever quips had to stop in dreams? Huh? Because it was a serious situation? Freeze Blade stiffened at the loud sound of a house crumbling on itself, flames crackling as they licked away._

_..Rrrright._

_Freeze Blade, instincts kicking, was sent off into a mad dash. Villagers could've been in danger! What if they were all hiding? What if they were being attacked? Considering his options, he opened his mouth and made as much noise as he could. As expected, he did this with ease. "HELLLLOOOO! ANYONE STILL HEERE! IF YOU ARE...GET OUT OF THE VILLAGE!_"

_Spyro made it sound like there were still civilians here, but he hadn't seen any at all!_

_Seen any. Seen any. That was the key word. He moved his ears, up and down, side to side. A cat like him could hear for quite some distance; they could see with their ears! Well, a cat like Trap Shadow, at least. Freeze Blade wasn't...exactly that great at listening. Yes, quite the shocker. But that was different; listening for the wails of endangered civilians couldn't be hard! All around him, all he could hear was the squawking of seagulls, the occasional creak of an unhinged, burning door when the wind blew, and_—

_He stopped in his tracks._

...were those footsteps?

_Skylanders?_

_"Guys?" His ear twitched, once, twice, thrice. Strange sounds buzzed about them, distant. He looked around, as if expecting to see his teammates. All of his dread melted away; if they were here, he'd be alright with joining in all this weird, floating stuff! His feral instincts never failed him; there was no doubt that someone was coming! And fast! A smile formed onto his face, one that turned into a grin, and then into a beam. "Guys! Hehah, I don't even remember why I was worried! You'd never leave me behind! Except for that one time with the angry Boghog. No grudge or anything, 'cause that was SUH-WEET! Sure, I got a couple of broken bones, but nothin' a lil' R&amp;R couldn't fix!"_

_His gabby gums were interrupted by a rack of violent coughs, as smoke stabbed at his lungs. Rasping, he patted his chest. "Now, uh, could someone please tell me what the heck is going on? What's up with all this..." His smile flipped into a frown, then into a grimace, and then into a gawk. Ears fell. Legs trembled. A whisper crawled up from his throat, as shadows painted the floor. "...weirdness?"_

_Not Skylanders._

_Freeze Blade hadn't moved._

_Seadogs. A stampede of Seadogs. Two nightmares at once._

_As soon as he could see the whites of their eyes, instincts forced him to move. He dodged and weaved within the crowd, wildly. "Excuse me, pardon me, sorry, honk honk!" His mouth moved just as fast as his legs. Freeze Blade did this with ease; he had gone through worse whenever Ghost Roaster served up honey buns at the Café. He would've been having fun if he knew this was a race just because of sugary pastries. Instead, dread overwhelmed his body. Too many questions ran through his head. Why were there so many Seadogs? What was happening? Was this one of those pirate hideouts? What was happening? Were his friends in trouble? What was happening? Had the Seadogs burned down a Mabu village? Had the Mabu burned down a Seadog village? What was happening? Was he in trouble?_

_WHAT WAS HAPPENING?!_

_Freeze Blade bent back his ears. Maybe he was in the Mirror of Mystery? Yeah, maybe he had just fallen asleep next to it...and crashed into a different dimension! No? What? He was still in Cloudbreak? Oh, right. Well maybe—no, that didn't make sense either. __**None**__ of this made much sense to him, but that didn't matter. All he knew was that this place was burning to the ground, that he needed to evacuate everyone here, bad guys or not, and help the Skylanders. With all the Seadogs being thrown at him, that plan seemed to be a bit of a problem._

_Patience was never one of his strongest suits. Speed, speed, speed, everything had to be fast for this Frost Feline. He was a Speedster for a reason! To him, those around him were just as slow as sloths stuck in molasses, riding on tortoises covered in tar, surrounded in a sea of slugs and snails. No, that was not an exaggeration. If he was a grumpy cat, Freeze Blade probably would've just frozen everyone in his way by now. He just wasn't born with crankiness, it appeared. Nothing but kittens and rainbows all around. If Stink Bomb were here this would go WAY quicker, he thought_,_ just pull his tail, BOOM, everyone's runnin' like cockroaches! They only did that in emergencies, but this certainly seemed like one. Where were all the Skylanders that Spyro was yapping about? He hadn't seen any! Maybe Spyro had just taken too many shots to the head-ski by Cynder? No Skylander would come alone on a mission like this. Except for him, apparently. Wherever they were, the Skylanders could help him. He DESPERATELY needed them here._

_Single player wasn't exactly his forte. Not in video games, not in real life. In his young mind, it was the same as being lost, left behind. Before the Splitting, Master Eon had ordered him to venture off into Frost Elf territory. Without anyone with him. Alone. He didn't want to go anymore when he first heard that word, digging his claws into the ground, pleading and begging; he had even tried to freeze his own feet! Everyone, even Master Eon, had to shove him onto the Portal of Power! Unlike other cats, Frost Felines were incredibly dependent. They are raised in one, big, happy family, ranging from six to over a hundred. They don't split up like Seadogs or drift away like Smilodons to make a new clan; they simply stick together for the rest of their lives. Because of this, Freeze Blade had some...issues, according to Trap Shadow, a full package of loneliness and darkness and abandonment. Compared to that wildcat, Freeze Blade was a household kitten._

_"Run, run, run fer lives, mateys! Pray fer mercy!"_

_"Wha-huh?" Freeze Blade looked around, this way and that, to and fro. Some was actually speaking? Instead of screaming? He felt the ground shake beneath his feet, pebbles jumping, grass quivering. A sinking feeling invaded his stomach as he heard the sounds of hooves clouting the baked earth, a whip fiercely crackling at the air, and harsh neighs that seemed to ring out endlessly. There it was, an old-timey, horse-drawn carriage, flying right into the crowds at the speed of light. That was even too fast for Freeze Blade! Seadogs jumped out of the way; some hit the ground, covering their heads and whimpering like puppies. Horses threw their weight around, knocking into each other, bucking heads, as if they were in a deadly race. Apart from being all kinds of colors, sparkly whirls of mist as manes, there was something wrong with them. Freeze Blade had been around with Stink Bomb long enough to know the difference between a healthy animal and an unhealthy animal, and these animals didn't look too healthy. Yellow foam gushed around the corners of their lips. Freeze Blade didn't even have to squint to see every, single bone in their bodies. Their nostrils were nearly sealed shut and they had to heave to breathe, panting like dogs, tongues out. Their owner didn't look too great, either. He shivered in his seat, teeth chattering, paws shivering as he just barely held the horses restraint. His head was low, weak, bobbing up and down with every move. He didn't even look alive, like he was a taxidermist's pet, insides stuffed. Definitely an old codger._

_"Run! Move! The rats are among us, me hearties! The Skylanders have arrived—they've found us! They'll ruin us, they'll ruin our town! There's hundreds of 'em! They'll rake the money from ye pockets, snatch it up like goblins, reap yer gold! Leave ye fer dead! Run, run! Take all ye riches! Protect yer pups, hide yer wives! They'll take the innocence from ye children—from ye young 'uns! Hellbeasts, they are!"_

_Freeze Blade had to look up to see the passengers behind. Two Seadogs, they were, a couple huddled up close as if they'd been skinned of fur. Happy pups crawled over their laps, but only one sat to the side, tail waggling as he peered outside._

_"We shouldn't have paid him so much!" the she-beard barked. "He doesn't even know where he's goin'! His name is Deadeyes!"_

_"Referrin' to...?"_

_"HE'S BLIND!"_

_"Oh..."_

_Yep, that was a couple._

_"Dad, dad!" the pup yipped. "I think I just saw Trigger Happy! A-and Gill Grunt!" He grabbed ahold of his father and shook him. "I saw 'em, I saw 'em, I saw 'em! Can we go meet 'em, can we, can we, can we?"_

_"Look, sweet cheeks, Deadguy here knows 'is way around town. We'll get out of here faster than you can say_—_LOOK OUT!"_

_The carriage swerved to the side, sliding left and right, before getting back on track. Deadeyes' passengers shouted,_

_"OH MY GODS!"_

_"KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE ROAD!"_

_"Whooo-hoo-hoo! Faster, faster!"_

_Deadeyes gave a harsh wheeze. He threw his head back with a winding howl and whipped the horses with their own reins. "YAH!" Whinnying, they reared up, kicked out their front legs, and raced off, the bullets. They didn't even try to maneuver out of the way of the screaming Seadogs, trampling all in a wild stampede. Freeze Blade watched with bug eyes as they were barreled into like bowling pins. Seadogs, knocked out by careless hooves, tumbled to the ground only to soon have their bodies crushed under wheels. A squeal tore from his throat; he brought his paws to his mouth to catch it._

_The blind Seadog continued, as if he hadn't even known what he had done, as if he hadn't felt guilty. How did he not feel them? How did he not hear the crunching of bones? "The Purple Menace has come fer everything ye ever loved, mateys! Yer gold, yer family, yer life! Everything! Run while ye still can! He says he's 'ere t'help us, but look at what the devil has done! He's brought all 'is demons...to slay us! Look at what he's done! Look at the bodies—they be all around us! Death, it fills our nostrils! Death, it is inevitable! Do not try and fight; the Purple Menace will come for us! He will come for us ALL!"_

_Freeze Blade stood still as Seadogs rushed past him. Now, at a moment like this, daring Freeze Blade would've frozen the wheels of the carriage with his Frost Vision, jumped right over the horses, did a quadruple backflip, waved to an invisible crowd, and landed perfectly on his feet. But now was not the time for acting cool! Now was the time for thinking fast! Now was the time for GETTING THE HECK OUT OF THE WAY! His conscience screamed just before the wild, kicking hooves could crash down. All that escaped from Freeze Blade was a yelp as his legs took control of themselves, throwing the Frost Feline across the blackened ground. As he was sent reeling like a child's plaything, in the corner of a wincing eye, Freeze Blade saw a volley of fiery arrows zip through the air..._

_...and skewer their pointed heads right into the carriage._

_A horrific screech rent the smoky air._

* * *

"**AAAWWWWOOOORRR!**"

There was a saying about objects in motion and objects in rest on Earth.

The same went for things in Skylands. Pillows flopped onto the floor like dead fish. Empty barrels crashed together into little huddles. The bucket of bloody poison fell forward, its contents sizzling when it met the ground.

"**AHHHHH!**"

The same went for the Skylanders.

From the safety of his rickety bed, Boom Jet watched down below as his friends were all sent sliding, into walls, into each other. As the SWAP Force were thrown about like ragdolls, the weapons they held followed, slipping from their grasps. Skittering away from the spilling venom, a horrified Spy Rise hooked his legs into the gaps of the floorboard. Getting stable, he gave a laugh, thinking he had triumphed...too soon. Before he could even shout, the Techie was crushed into the wall by Rubble Rouser, who'd just been knocked over by Doom Stone. It was like a game of dominoes! Swapdominoes! Boom Jet almost snorted at that thought. He was having too much fun watching this, while Fire Kraken was holding his breath and crossing his fingers the whole time.

Rattle Shake cursed when Rubble Rouser's hammer rolled over his tail. With a hiss, he let go of Osirus, and, unbeknownst, the snake wriggled free from his hold. Shrieking at the escapee serpent, Free Ranger bumped into Trap Shadow as he reeled back. His talon smashed down onto the smilodon's footpaw. Bad mistake. Very bad mistake. But great entertainment! Wild claws struck out, but the most they could do was shove the Storm Chicken, for Trap Shadow was still wincing at the pain. "Watch it!" he spat.

"Whoa!" Free Ranger rammed headfirst into the other bunkbed. Stunned, he fumbled away, tongue lolling out of his mouth. The bed teetered and tottered, sliding back and forth. Trap Shadow, licking at a claw, was completely oblivious of what else was to come.

Stink Bomb, however, was a bit more up to speed. Literally, as the Swampskunk came racing at him. "Get out of the w—" His words were cut off, as so was his sprint, as he tripped right over one of Wash Buckler's tentacles. Now this truly was what mayhem looked like! Boom Jet, and Fire Kraken, were well-acquainted to the sight, to say the least. Rolling like that of an astray tire, Stink Bomb tumbled into Trap Shadow, pushing them both to the floor.

Giving a hissy fit, Trap Shadow yowled. "Stink—"

**BOOM!**

And there went the bunkbed.

That shut him up. That got everyone's attention. Just as it fell, as if on cue, they felt the ship shift and straighten. Back to normal. Back to reality.

"Awh, man," All eyes had been taken from the fallen bed to Boom Jet. He snapped his fingers. "The show's over! And it was just getting good, too."

Relief flooded and imprisoned sighs were released,

"Oh, thank the gods..."

"Geez..."

"Pheeew..."

The two Sneakers were planked ontop of each other, in a rather..._eyecatching_ position, one that Boom Jet couldn't help but snicker at—he couldn't resist! "You're making this WAY too easy for me, guys. Waaaay too easy. Way-haaaay too easy!" They hadn't even noticed until the Rocketeer had said it, at the last moment. Not even a millisecond passed before Trap Shadow catapulted the Swampskunk off of him with a shove.

With a yelp, Stink Bomb clumsily landed on his back, legs sticking up like he was roadkill. "And what do we say?" he grimaced at Trap Shadow, who'd rose off the ground.

As the cat clung to the wall, a wired smile tried to form itself onto his face. Trap Shadow shrugged and tilted his head. "S-sorry...?"

"You can do better than that."

He, awkwardly, peeled back his lips and showed his teeth, giving a forced grin. "Sorry?"

"Not the response I'm looking for..."

"AUGGGHHH!" Trap Shadow threw his head back, roaring out an exaggerated groan. He rubbed the bridge of his muzzle. "Ugh, what am I even doing with my life anymore?" the wildcat mumbled. Straightening up, he gave a deathly look to Boom Jet, who, with the most sly of smirks on his face, nodded. Trap Shadow turned his gaze back to Stink Bomb, who simply followed the skysurfer's suit.

The catty Sneaker had no other choice than to give in. "Th-the...tha..." Oh boy. This is where the real fun happened! Such a phrase was not conceivable by his lips, as he stuttered and stammered and sputtered every time they tried to form it. Torture for him, entertainment for Boom Jet. "Tha-tha-tha..." Shivering, seizing, his snout wrinkled, his fists clenched, and his face toiled. The two words seeped through his gnashed teeth, slow like that of slime. "**THANK...YOU.**" And with that, the struggle was over. A sigh pushed forth from his mouth, one that of relief_ and_ regret. "Gaaah..." He gave Stink Bomb a death glare. "How I hate you so."

Stink Bomb snickered. "Love you too! Geez, that's the longest it's ever taken you to utter those words. I thought I was going to shrivel up and die down here."

"I wish you would..." Trap Shadow mumbled under his breath, grudgingly lifting his teammate up off the ground.

Stink Bomb hadn't heard this, or simply didn't care, as he continued on. "You looked like you were about to explode for a second there. Admittedly, you sorta looked like me during that stakeout..."

Trap Shadow plugged his ears. "Nope, don't remember that."

"The raid, when we snuck into an enemy camp and took their supplies? During the time_ someone_ was trying to sell me to a rival clan in exchange for some measly scraps of land? So _someone_ could settle down and create their own clan?"

"Not ringing any bells."

"After _SOMEONE _didn't let me stop for a bathroom break..."

The feline crossed his arms and looked away. "Doesn't jog my memory."

"Really? Huh," Stink Bomb put a claw to his chin. "Well, then. It wen't a little something like _this_..." Tail raising, he hiked up one leg and...

"**NO, NO, NO, NO!**" Trap Shadow waved his paws, wildly.

Stink Bomb burst out laughing, holding his stomach, which only made the hackles of Trap Shadow rise more. "And you say I'm gullible! I wasn't going to do anything. Or was I?" His tail swished, threateningly. From the unnerved expression on his face, Trap Shadow looked just about ready to hightail out of the dorm. Stink Bomb stopped him just in time with a punch to the arm. "Gotcha again! No need to worry, Shadow. This whole Snapper situation's officially scared me stinkless...for now."

Groaning, the smilodon rubbed at his head. "Why must you keep reminding me of our terrible upbringings? I don't know why you're acting so smug; it was your fault. You're the one who scarfed down so many of the berries before the raid! I told you not to do it, but you did it anyway!"

Before they joined the Skylanders, before they were the stealthiest Swappers, Stink Bomb and Trap Shadow were partners-in-crime. Well, no, it was more like two, mindless teenagers in a relationship—on and off, love and hate. To be completely honest, they still were. One moment, the two were joking each other about the old days, the next Trap Shadow was being dragged by his sabers, or Stink Bomb was being yanked by his ponytail.

"I was nervous! You know how I get when I'm nervous, Trap Shadow. And I can say the same thing to you, Mr. It's All Your Fault. I told you I didn't feel well, but you didn't care. Talking to you is like talking to a big, furry wall. See, I _TRIED_ to run away so I didn't ruin the mission in the first place! But _SOMEONE_ just had to need to yank my tail!"

"You were going to get spotted—you were making stupid, squeaking noises the whole time! I had to do something."

"You're the one who pulled the trigger!"

"Ugh, nostalgia, why does it hurt so?"

"Aw, c'mon, you thought it was funny...when you woke back up. I told you all about it, remember? I think it was the first time you laughed ever since we were kits. Well, little, little kits. Besides, did you see how many flunkies were out there? We couldn't have handled that. I did you a favor. Took 'em all out in a single blow."

Trap Shadow rolled his eyes. "Whatever. And don't compare yourself to me. Ever again."

"Ah, that's right. How could I? There _is_ no competition."

Boom Jet averted his attention away before even more fur flew. Rattle Shake was slithering after Osirus, whistling, but the stubborn snake just wasn't listening. Wash Buckler massaged at a his hurt tentacle, murmuring to himself. Nothing too interesting until...

"_P_-put the marinated chicken in _th_-the oven after _pr-pr_-preheating to 450 degrees! DING!"

What an outburst. Nothing too special...until he realized who was blurting it. Everyone stared at Spy Rise, who was trying to walk, shaking as if he was on stilts. What a morning. What a surprise. His eyelids twitched, a scary smile etched onto his face. Boom Jet shuddered. Eeugh. That was almost as unnerving the parasite!

Almost...

Spy Rise cricked his head to a side. "Don't forget to sprinkle—" Static crackled in his voice, messing up every one of his words—"finely chopped and cut garlic over the top!"

Well, no, not exactly Spy _Rise_. Spy Rouser, that was more like it. Their talent, though freaking awesome and a ton of fun, proved to be a bit a burden from time to time. Nowadays it felt like simply just bumping into someone summoned Swappability! But this, whatever the heck Spy Rouser was talking about, definitely wasn't an effect of swapping.

Rubble Rise, sprawled out flat on the floor, robotic legs kicking, looked up at Wash Buckler. "Y'don't think I broke 'im, do ya?"

His leader shrugged. "Maybe a little."

"What is he talking about? Wh-what is he talking about?" Free Ranger was shivering. "Could someone please tell me what he's talking about?!" the Storm Chicken squawked.

"It's fine, everything's alright," Wash Buckler calmed, but his voice was not the least bit calming. In fact, it sounded bitter, sour. The Mermasquid helped Rubble Rise up. "He's just...wigging out or something. Must be a glitch in the system. No need to worry, though. Just...poke him a bit; he doesn't like that."

"Hey, webhead," Rubble Rise skittered forth, "anyone h—WHOA!"

Spy Rouser had grabbed him by his chin. He leaned in close, so far the two rammed their heads together. The Climber hadn't been fazed, even though he had just met first with stone. Placing his pinky to the side of his mouth, a curious coo escaped from him. He put his hand onto the Digger's face. "You have beautiful eyes..."

"..er...thanks?"

Before Boom Jet could, Fire Kraken cackled out loud. "You kiddin' me? Heeheehee! You can't snap him outta that by just poking him! Let the master show ya!" He cupped a claw before his mouth. "Oh, Spydeeeey! I think I broke one of your thingymajigs...again!"

"BARBARIAN!" Spy Rouser gasped, horror tainting his face. "BRUTE!" Immediately, he shoved Rubble Rise away. That definitely snapped him out of it. "How dare you! What did you break this time?! They're not just simple, trivial thingymajigs!" The Spyder always loathed that word, especially when it was about his creations, especially when it was from his own teammates...which happened to be all of the time. "They're inventions, works of science—works of technology! And..." As soon as the hog-like chortles reached his ears, Spy stopped his words with a sigh, putting two fingers to his head. "And you're just doing this get on my nerves aren't you?" he asked in a monotonous voice.

Fire Kraken couldn't exactly reply, too busy tittering his tail off. He slapped Boom Jet on the back, and before he knew it the skysurfer was back to heaving his guts out into the bucket. Great. Almost hyperventilating from pure hilarity, in between little hiccups, the Bouncer flopped back onto the bed, much to Boom Jet's discontent. His legs kicked and his tail thumped.

"Ugh," Hand to face, Spy Rouser shook his head, "what happened? My vision's all fuzzy."

"You zoned out, dude. Started shouting stuff..." Wash Buckler answered through a mumble.

"Oh. O-of course." he looked away, playing with his hands. A sheepish smile arose on his face. If he could blush, Spy Rise probably would've. "What did I...what did I say?"

"Nothing important. Nearly scared the feathers off of Free Ranger, freaked out Rubbs, and y'know, now we're here," Wash Buckler let out a sigh. He sharpened his cutlass' blade, striking it against the Bubble Blaster. A grimace crossed his lips and his eyes rolled. "_Still_ talking to each other. Somehow, someway."

Spy Rise didn't even acknowledge this; he probably hadn't even heard him. Turning around, his eyes landed on something better for him to complain about. "Wha—how?" He pointed at the wall with one hand. "How?! How did you even manage to do THAT?! Who did that?! That is a fine example of vandalism!" The Spyder freaked out over the most minuscule of things, always. Not doing chores? How dare they! Crumbs on the table? Savages! Dirty clothes left around? THE HORROR!

If it was out of place, he would complain. If it wasn't like the others, he would complain. If it wasn't PERFECT...

He. Would. Complain.

For hours. For weeks. For days. That was the true meaning of never hearing it. _But, hey, everything comes with a price, _Boom Jet thought, _at least he cleans up most of the messes for us!_

Rubble Rise scratched the back of his head, but decided not to say anything.

Might have been a smart idea, might not have, as the Spyder _still_ rambled on and on. "My head hurts. What's with all these...flashy pictures?" Spy Rouser winced. "I know who leaves _Skylands' Deadliest Housewives _on—" He cast a quick, irritated glance over at Rattle Shake and Stink Bomb; the two looked away, one flicking out his tongue, the other swishing his tail, acting as if they hadn't heard—"but who keeps leaving the cooking channel on at HQ?"

"Heheh, sorry!" Hoot Loop tapped his talons together, snickering nervously. "The food they make on there, they're just so..." His pupils expanded ten times their normal size. "...fancy."

"Meh," Fire Kraken waved a hand, "they're not so great. I could do better."

The Teleporter sniffed, scoffed and crossed his arms. "You've never made me caviar."

"Ain't that just fish eggs?"

"_Fancy_ fish eggs."

"The bed?! You had to take out the bed, too?! Who did that?" Spy Rouser searched through the eyes of everyone he spotted. He had a voice like that of an angry dog owner coming home to find everything wrecked, and a stern look to boot. "Come on; fess up!"

Wash Buckler rolled his eyes; he had been doing that a lot this morning. He whipped around to face his fellow Climber, scowling. "Why does it matter to you? Why do you even care? It was an accident!"

Spy Rise was startled by the abrupt exclaim at first, but, flustered, decided to argue back. "Why do I care? I _care_ because we're wrecking Rotclaw's ship!"

"We're? We? Who's we? You're the one who put that crater in the wall!"

"I did?"

"Well, not exact—" Rubble Rise tried to step in. Unfortunately, the Stonesapien's voice of reason just wasn't loud enough, not this time.

"Yes, yes you did! But you don't that because you're just so self-conceded, so stuck-up, so...stupid!"

"I am not!"

"You haven't even noticed that you've swapped legs with Rubble Rouser yet!"

"What are you talking..." His words ebbed away as soon as looked down, lifted up one foot, and then the other. "Huh. I did not know that. You've got be there, Wash Buckler, but at least I know how many legs I have in total."

"Pulling the leg card? Again? We've gone through his before; I have eight legs!"

"You only have six legs! You only have six legs and you know it! Watch!" Spy Rouser pointed at his leader's legs, counting them all. "One, two, three, four, five, six!"

"Seven, eight!"

"Your arms don't count as legs!"

"**ENOUGH!**" Rubble Rise shouted what everyone was thinking, pushing the Climbers away from each other with two, spidery legs. "How many times are ya'll gonna keep arguing like this?! Save it for when we get back to Woodburrow! We'll at least have a choice to move on; now we're just stuck listening to you nag on and on all day! It's annoying, it's tiring, it makes me mad!" He seethed through his gritted teeth. "And nobody wants to see me mad."

Trap Shadow snickered. "Nobody?_ I_ kind of want to see you get mad."

A stone-cold glare from the swapped Digger instantly shut him up, followed by another punch in the arm by Stink Bomb.

"Just saying. Nothing wrong with a little bloodshed every now and then. Friendly fire, am I right?"

Shifting his attention from the cat, Rubble Rise grumbled. "I don't want to go through this again. I've got to use this hammer on lackeys of evil, not two guys who can't get along, not my friends. Heck, I don't even want to talk about this no more. Let's make this quick. Wash Buckler, you're a leader; time to start rememberin' to act like one." The Mermasquid opened his mouth to protest, but was silenced by his teammate's snarl. "Don't start with me! I will turn on you in a heartbeat, Bucky! And Spy Rise—"

He rose a finger. "—technically it'd be Spy Rouser."

His words were almost cut short when Rubble Rise gripped his hand, nearly crushing it to pieces. "Gimmie my darn parts back!" As soon as the two touched, their parts were instantly swapped. Magic, indeed. Swapping was not painful, never, but for this one instance, this was no little sting for the Spyder. Spy Rise hopped about, shaking out his hand, howling. "OW! Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow, ow—"

"**AWWWWOOOOOOOOR!**"

Again? That noise was starting to get on Boom Jet's nerves, and it didn't help the fact that he was overwhelmed by head-splitting nausea. "Can someone please shut that thing up?"

"Was that Drills?" Rubble Rouser, however, was immediately alarmed. He held his hammer close. "D-do you think that was Drills?! That sounded like he was attacked! And Magna Charge?!" His tough attitude just drifted away, vanishing.

"Wait, Drills and Magna are BOTH outside?" Wash Buckler stared. "When did this happen? And what was that?"

Trap Shadow wriggled an ear. "Sounded like a drunk dog. Sort of like The Card..." Right after the end of his sentence, nearly cutting himself off, realization immediately dawned on him and everyone else. "He's attacking us, isn't he?"

"Oh, great, it just had to be now. It just had to be right now!" Wash Buckler pulled down at his hat. "He just HAD to attack—he just HAD to attack us now!"

"You don't know that! It could just be Rotclaw singing on of his little ditties again," Hoot Loop interjected.

"If it is, _'Awwoor'_ doesn't seem like a very catchy song..." Stink Bomb remarked, making quotations with his fingers.

Spy Rise rubbed his temples and started to pace. "This is a disaster. A catastrophe!"

"Alright, alright," Wash Buckler calmed himself down, though the tone of his irritated voice said otherwise. He was obviously in a mood. "SWAP Force, rollout or whatever..."

"Wait, wait, wait," Fire Kraken's cries nearly cut the Mermasquid off, "we've got another member in the sick bay!"

As soon as the spotlight was put on him, Boom Jet snatched his helmet back, put it on, and weakly waved. "Hey-o."

Trap Shadow snorted and crossed his arms. "Wuss. You can't be that sick."

"Oh, no, trust me, I am. Would you like me to demonstrate by spinning my head around and projectile vomiting like a possessed Mutticus?"

"Okay, okay, there's no need for that!" Wash Buckler interjected before Trap Shadow could bark back. He, once more, massaged his squishy skull. "So Boom Jet can—"

"Ooh, oh!" Fire Kraken waved his hand around, rapidly. "And me! Me, me, me! I have to help!"

"**AND** Fire Kraken...can stay here. Everyone else, roll—"

"Wait, amigo," Wash Buckler stopped in his tracks soon as Rattle Shake opened his mouth. He stifled a groan. Everyone was hissy today! "I must stay here, with Freeze Blade. I know the most about the Snappers; let me stay please."

"Sure, fine, fine, fine, fine! Boom Jet, Fire Kraken,** AND** Rattle Shake..." He took a pause, waiting for any other objections, before continuing. Wash Buckler spoke slowly, as if he was talking to a child. "You guys can stay here and care for Freeze Blade, while the rest of us fight Momma's Boy outside. Understood?" Night Shift rose a boxing glove, about to say something, but the Mermasquid cut him off before there could be anymore interruptions. "Good! Now, without further ado, SWAP Force...get your butts out here and let's take this mutt down!"

As the others began to disperse, leaving or staying behind, Spy Rise covered his smile with his hands, clapping them together like a giddy schoolgirl. This what he had always wanted: a no-nonsense leader! Strict, serious, and unfunny.

Someone just like him.

Boom Jet could've sworn he heard him squeal. Spy Rise, giggling, rushed after the moody Mermasquid with a spring in his spidery steps, cutting off the rest of the crowd. Weirdo. Really, really weird weirdo. His attention was soon to be averted, abruptly, as two, haunting eyes bore right into his own. Night Shift was staring directly, eyelids twitching, teeth showing.

"You," he pointed; that simple gesture was a threat all on its own. He narrowed his eyes at Fire Kraken and then back to Boom Jet. Unsettled, the two touched their backs to the walls. It was like he was about to kill them or something! Probably was, actually. "Furbag, scalebag, if you as somewhat even mess this simple job up for Freeze Blade—for all of us, I'll be serving myself with _niiice_ helping of your ever so _precious_, warm, delicious blood. Can you imagine it? Me, bashing your skulls into a million, itty-bitty pieces, turning your insides into your outsides, whilst snickering at your poor, pitiful, and pathetic carcasses like a wild hyena?" He laughed, holding his sides. "Crazy, right?"

The _furbag_ and the _scalebag_ nodded and started to follow suit with nervous laughs of their own, only to be shut down by Night Shift's shout.

"**DON'T SCREW IT UP!**"

Shivering, the two grabbed a hold of each other and closed their eyes in terror, like cubs during a bedtime story. Night Shift only smirked at this, satisfied. Much to their relief, he finally looked away, turning his gaze to Rattle Shake. The snake was unmoved, like always; Boom Jet was starting to believe that the snakeslinger wasn't even real. With a hardened gaze and bared fangs, Night Shift displayed the same attitude to Rattle Shake, but no bloodthirsty, horrific, or totally uncalled for words were shared. Lucky duck. Well, not necessarily. Words weren't shared...but hisses sure were. Lots and lots of hisses. Their eyes locked, teeth flashed. Night Shift rose a fist, but before he could swing first, Rattle Shake pushed his palm down on the glove.

Ears flopping, the Teleporter looked sideways at him, as if he truly wished to fight. He set his jaw, grimacing.

"Do not worry, old friend. I will take care of the kitten; he is in good hands..." Rattle Shake smirked. Unlike Trap Shadow, the Bouncer knew just how to poke and prod at the _right_ buttons. A master of manipulation, Rattle Shake played with feelings, as if they were simply strings on a guitar. "I promi_sss_e..." Oh, yeah, he was definitely having fun. Adding that lisp just confirmed it.

Night Shift jumped back. "What?! No, no, no, something is wrong with your head. I am not worrying, I do not worry! You, you are the one who is worrying, because I am not worrying. Who ever said I was worried? I am NOT worried."

"Good. I wouldn't want you to grow any more gray hairs," Rattle Shake fitted himself with a sly expression, an amused hiss escaping from his mouth when Night Shift growled at him. "My mistake. Should I say white hairs?"

"Yes, yes, you are very funny," he rolled his eyes. The vampire pounded his fists together with a snide smile. "Just be glad The Cardmaster is here. I must save my energy; I cannot afford to waste it on a worm dressed in a cowboy outfit!"

"Ah, of course, whatever you say. Be on with you now..." A smile crossed the snakeslinger's lips. "Freeze Blade's counting on you."

This made Night Shift flinch a little. Just the _riiight_ buttons. His ears pointed up at the name, and he swiveled around to stare at the Frost Feline. He hovered there, watching. A slight smile tried to wriggle its way onto his face...but failed, as it was squashed by a frown. Smiles? Night Shift had never heard of them. Shaking his head, ears flopping, he gave everyone a curt growl as a goodbye and headed for the exit. After giving Freeze Blade one, last look, he closed the door, ever so slowly.

Once it shut, Boom Jet piped back up. "Well, that was—"

"_¡Mierda!__" _Hissing, like a whirlwind, Rattle Shake zipped about the room. His pupils shrunk to the tiniest, little slits Boom Jet had ever seen; he acted as if he'd just gone rabid! A whole rush of curses spewed from his maw in a single stream. Fire Kraken gasped...even though he probably had no idea what any of them meant. Shivering, the snakeslinger pulled down at the brim of his hat.

"Shaky," Fire Kraken was immediately alarmed, "what's wrong?"

Rattle Shake rambled, quietly, worriedly. He slithered about in a circle, over and over and over again. Definitely not normal. Had he'd been bitten by the Snapper, too?

Being oblivious as he was, Fire Kraken repeated his question. "Shaky? Shaky, what's wrong? Shaky! Shaaaky!"

His answer came immediately, as Rattle Shake whipped around with a violent hiss, jaws hinged, tongue flailing. Fury was like a mask on his scaled face. "**I DON'T KNOW!**" he screamed. As soon as he said it, as soon as he realized what he'd done, his mask shattered. Fire Kraken stared at him with big, wide eyes, ones of surprise, ones of shock; he looked absolutely terrified! Instinctively, the Bouncer clutched onto Boom Jet, as if he was safety, burying his snout. A whine escaped from his throat.

Expression hard as stone, Boom Jet glowered at the snakeslinger. "Seriously? Really?" He was all up for mindless slapstick, but some things were just no laughing matter, especially when it hurt the feelings of others. "You know how sensitive he is. Chill out, will you?" Even he was surprised at the amount of scorn in his voice, and so was Rattle Shake. Taken aback, the Undead Skylander pulled away, mouth agape. His eyes darted from Boom Jet, Fire Kraken, and then the ground. He bit his lips, trying to hold himself back, tail quivering. Boom Jet showed off his pointed fangs in response. Whatever he was preparing for, the skysurfer was ready for it...or so he thought. It wasn't an attack, it wasn't even an exclaim.

Just a whimper.

His head hung low, droplets trickling from their ducts and gathering at his nose. Taking off his hat, he sniffled. "I-I'm sorry, pequeño, I did not mean to frighten you," Rattle Shake apologized through a wobbly exhale. He scrubbed at his wet eyelids with one hand, wincing. Boom Jet could only stare, lost for words. Where'd all this come from? Just a moment ago he was smiling all sly-like and now he was breaking down all sad-like? Sure, Rattle Shake was quite the peculiar Skylander, with a few mood swing issues to boot, but this was a total 360° turn! The skysurfer never thought he'd ever see Rattle Shake cry! Not in a million years! Well, not in _this_ manner, at least; Stink Bomb often said that a few tears were always shed when they watched their favorite soap opera together, but no one ever believed him.

Boom Jet turned to Fire Kraken for answers. He was a reptile...well, at least everyone thought so. Nevertheless, the two were both Bouncers, thus they'd been banded together on countless missions. Maybe Fire Kraken could make some sense of this; he was just as crazy as Rattle Shake, it seemed. Cocking an eyebrow and blocking the side of his face with a hand, Boom Jet began to whisper. "What's going..."

Fire Kraken was not there.

"...on?" His words drifted away. He looked around, side to side, this way and that. "Buddy? Where'd you go?" The answer didn't take long to arrive. A loud sniffle caught his attention, bringing his eyes to the floor. What he saw was not a surprise, by any means, but he felt his heart leap anyway. Fire Kraken had coiled his arms around Rattle Shake, embracing him in a warm hug. Literally, as a faint light glowed from his form, like that of an aura. Oh, classic Kraken. He was a really, really BIG hugger; he thought hugs could heal anything! Boom Jet knew this from experience. From all the times an experiment blew up in his face, from all the times he was given a blackeye by Night Shift, his wingman was always there by his side. It wasn't only him that fell prey to Fire Kraken's death grip. Everyone, every, single Skylander, had gotten a hug from him. No, really! Boom Jet was keeping track!

His first victims had been the Swappers, though, and they'd gotten the brunt of it all. They were the main targets, they always were. Fire Kraken never hesitated to give a hug, and everyone had different reactions his behavior. Hoot Loop welcomed all the love, giggling like a little girl. Magna Charge, though always losing a few gears in the process, didn't seem to really mind having his eye nearly squeezed from his head. Freeze Blade would go ahead and hug the Bouncer right back, while as Free Ranger would promptly try to wriggle his way out of the inevitable, squawking up a storm. Hugging Stink Bomb so tightly was a bit of a detriment, especially after sneaking up on him during meditation, but Fire Kraken didn't care...until the last moment! Same went for Night Shift; even a simple poke would land Fire Kraken writhing on the ground, whimpering. Not for long, of course. Why, he nearly squashed the life out of Eon when he was recruited! Two times!

His favorite would have to be Spy Rise, though. Wash Buckler sometimes sicced him on the Spyder when he wasn't cooperating. It was quite the sight to see, a twitchy lizard hanging off the back of a screaming, robotic arachnid. and it got even better when Fire Kraken licked his face, slobber and all. _That_ really freaked the cogs out of him. What made it even worse was the fact that the Bouncer sometimes stuck his tongue up his nostrils, like a giraffe! Grody, but hearing Spy Rise squeal like a pig was better than listening to him go over his to-do list for the hundredth time.

Boom Jet recalled hearing his own bones crack the last time Fire Kraken attacked him.

_"Get off!" He had squirmed, using all his might to try to push the Bouncer off._

_"Shhh-shh-shh, don't be afraid to cry. Let it go."_

_"I'm not crying!"_

_Fire Kraken had squished his face against the skysurfer's. "Crying's natural. You should cry, you'll feel better. I promise! Don't keep your feelings all bottled up."_

_"Guys, help!"_

It all happened in an order when the deadly Fire Kraken struck. He would grip his claws around the poor creature's torso, nuzzle them to death, and then he'd start...purring. At least that's what it sounded like. Boom Jet always compared it to an engine starting up. Or maybe Rubble Rouser with an empty stomach.

_Rrrm-rrm-rrm._

Yeah! Exactly like that. No, wait, that wasn't in his head. Boom Jet cupped a paw around an ear and looked down to find that Fire Kraken had already completed the three steps. Rattle Shake snapped his eyes open, as they darted about. An expression of confusion, surprise, and toil. Their tails had intertwined, twisting around into a little knot; even his tail was hugging! That was new. Boom Jet didn't know if he should've felt jealous...or a bit relieved.

"It's alright, Shaky. I know you didn't mean it!" He squinted. "Did 'cha?"

"Oh, amigo," Rattle Shake shook his head, breathing out a shaky sigh. "You wouldn't be hugging me if you knew what I've just done."

"What do you mean?" Boom Jet asked, a little too quickly. The bright gaze from Rattle Shake struck him through like that of a spear; he regretted his decision. "I-I mean..." he started up, slower. A grimace crossed his face; there was just no other way to ask that. "What do you mean?" the skysurfer repeated.

Rattle Shake jerked his head away, brows wrinkling, face scrunching. He held his arms, bringing them closer to his chest. "I am not proud of what I have done. Master Eon would not be either..." The snakeslinger slouched. Tears slid down from the tip of his nose, dripping down. From the warmth of Fire Kraken, they simply dissipated with a sizzle, vanishing into thin air.

"Rattle Shake..."

The snake didn't reply.

"Rattle Shake."

He squeezed his eyes shut.

"Rattle Shake!"

"**I LIED!**"

Fire Kraken stumbled back in surprise. His eyes bugged from their sockets. "You what?"

Free at last, Rattle Shake turned his back on them. He choked out a sob, wrapped his tail around himself, coiling up. "Grilla Drilla was right—you were all right about me!" His hat dropped. "I am a liar..."

* * *

Being a Skylander never came easy.

Sometimes you were sent into strange, new dimensions, or whisked all the way to a weird planet with weird people. Every day was different. They had to prepared for everything; to expect the unexpected. They had to train, constantly; The Darkness never surrendered and neither did they. Hardships were just apart of the job; like it or leave it. Not everyone could juggle, not everyone could whistle, and not everyone could be a Skylander. It took bravery, honor, determination, intelligence; if one recruit lacked a single trait, they'd be gone by morning. They either had it, or they didn't. That was basically the gist of it. Many left, few stayed. Some just didn't have the gutsy—some just didn't want to be chased down by hairy trolls, big-eyed Cyclopes, and toothy Chompies after every heartbeat. Some didn't want to be goody-two-shoes—they wanted to do what they wanted, when they wanted. Some were as lazy as sloths—they didn't want to save the world over and over again. Some were just, well, plain dizzy—some just thought they'd look cool or hip in front of everyone with true Skylanders by their side.

With great power came great responsibility...and a whole lot of looking over the shoulder. For Blast Zone, anyway. The SWAP Force, every, single one, they were all targets. Tons of hunters still wanted Stink Bomb as their smelly throw-rug, as a trophy, as a prize. Smilodons had become an endangered species, and tons of Cyclopes wanted Trap Shadow to be the main attraction in their awful zoos. Magna Charge was what the Arkeyans, those who were still living at least, called an insurgent; plenty of airships scoped the sky like vultures, even after one-hundred years. Drilla flesh was considered a delicacy in the remote Outlands, as they were from the tender, sinewy muscles of one of the strongest creatures in Skylands. Drinking their blood was said to bring good fortunate.

Free Ranger had to duck and cover during open season, as many thought he was a big, fluffy chicken...which was exactly what he was. Mermasquid limbs were highly valued in the black market; they were exotic, rare, just what an avid collector like the Cyclops Queen wanted. Before he became a Skylander, as a young boy, Spy Rise had been bagged, kidnapped, time and time again; everyone wanted those golden legs of his, even if it meant dissecting him piece by piece. Hundreds of years ago, such technology was all the rage. Nowadays they were considered just as retro as fuzzy, neon legwarmers; nothing had changed, everyone still wanted them. According to legend, Stonesapiens had hearts layered over with rubies, emeralds, and every gem imaginable, for protection. Greedy corsairs always found their way onto the doorstep of HQ, trying to work out bargains, begging and pleading, as if Rubble Rouser was nothing more than a fashionable item. People even asked if they could have Doom Stone as their personal slave!

Even if some of them didn't have a price tag, they were still Skylanders, and that made them on lists of every baddie out there. Not that it mattered. Not to them. No one could even get close to Stink Bomb, not without passing out from his stench or from the shock of shuriken planted between their eyes. Trap Shadow, despite his childish behavior, was as strong as a fully-grown Fire Claw Lion, and his smarts were even stronger. Magna Charge simply didn't mind, oblivious as he was. Grilla Drilla didn't care either and Free Ranger got all macho whenever the topic came up. Wash Buckler just shrugged it off, while Spy Rise only felt flattered. Rubble Rouser, however, made it clear that he would knock the block off of anyone who even got close to him. But he was only one Skylander; all the others...

It seemed as if Blast Zone was the only one who truly looked after them. He always put the safety of his friends first, before his own. He only wished to protect them just as he protected Skylands, looking about, circling above, always around. The others didn't understand; they all thought he was insane! Even Stink Bomb accused him of being skittish sometimes!

Today, he had been on edge more than ever.

He already knew this morning was off to a bad start. He knew it—he just knew it! Blast Zone felt it from the top of his helm to the bottom of his boots. It was as if there was a ghost haunting him, looming over him like a shadow. He had tried and tried again to tell them, but all he got was,

_"That's just the sea water, dude. It's probably messing with your mind. You don't exactly have a pair of sealegs, BZ."_

_"Bah, that is crazy talk!"_

_"Oh, yes, I've felt it too! A storm is coming! Wait, no that's tomorrow, it's definitely supposed to stay sunny. Maybe? I think? I-I mean, I know! At least think I know..."_

_"Wh-what do you mean? Is something...out there? What is it?"_

_"Mph? What? Sorry, can't hear you, I'm busy doing...something really, really important. Way more important than whatever you're talking about."_

But he had felt something—something dangerous! It wasn't The Cardmaster. And it definitely wasn't the fact that Grilla Drilla was lobbing barrels at him. Though THAT was surprising...and a bit dangerous.

"Dirty! Stupid! Dogs!" The ape had gone...ape. Barrels were thrown, left and right, but The Cardmaster simply slung them away with his magic. Magna Charge stood on the sidelines with Rotclaw, eye bright with shock. Blast Zone saw Stink Bomb duck, even though he wasn't in the line of fire at all. Uproarious howls split the air, as the Esper shook with laughter. This only made Grilla Drilla, alongside with his shrieking monkeys, mad. Well, madder than before. Guttural growls burst from him as he slammed his fists into the ground. "Shut up, shut up, shut up!"

If Freeze Blade was here, he, too, would've found only humor in the strange situation. Blast Zone could only imagine what he'd say: "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Relax, chill out—who do you think you are, Donkey Kong?"

It wasn't long until The Cardmaster caught sight of them. A smile inched his way onto his wretched face. "Ah!" He sounded as if he was surprised. "Finally! Good morning! I was getting rather bored with monkey-in-the-middle here. Thanks for taking care of that!" The Cardmaster was happy to see them. Too happy. In between the two ships, ropes from grappling hooks were outstretched. It looked as if the tables had been turned. Usually, they, the SWAP Force, were the ones who were all jolly and good-spirited, laughing their little hearts out. The enemies were supposed to be the unfortunate ones, licking at their wounds, hiding, praying for their dear lives. Freeze Blade should've been here, with them all, making sly jabs at the Seadogs like always. Instead, he was unconscious, unmoving. A pirate should've been the one in his shoes—The Cardmaster should've been the one in his shoes. It felt like it had been ages since they lost a battle. The stench of defeat was almost alien...and it smelled a lot like wet dog. Blast Zone couldn't help but growl at his presence.

Now, it was bad to jump to conclusions, the Swappers reminded him every second, but if that smiling hyena was the one behind all this...

No use in letting that brand, new Snapper go to waste, right? Stuffing him, and his entire crew, right into Mount Cloudbreak without food or water wasn't a half-bad idea, either. Much better than keeping him in a hunk of crystals.

With a groan, Wash Buckler immediately rose his hands, before the mutt could finish yapping. "Okay, okay, I'm going to stop you right there. I-I'm not really feelin' up for a battle right now, so can we cut this act short? Please? We really have to get back to—"

"No, no, no," The Cardmaster shook his head, fur flying. "I've got to milk it, Skylander. I've got to savor it! It's just what we villains do!" He turned to his crew with a chuckle. "Am I right or am I right?"

As Seadogs slapped their knees, chortling like mad, Wash Buckler rolled his eyes and looked away. Spy Rise only smiled, brighter than ever before.

"Aww, what's wrong Wash Buckler?" The Cardmaster put his hands on his hips. He gave his lips a wriggle and adopted a dumb voice. "What's wrong? Didn't get your nappy-wap? Poor Wash Buckler-poor baby. Poor baby-boo!"

All the Seadogs howled out gales of laughter, as if they'd just heard the best joke in all of Skylands,

"D'aaaaww!"

"Poor, poor babe!"

"Hee-hee! Baby-waby-waby!"

Patches had by far the loudest laugh. It was as if he was purposefully trying to make himself heard. "HAH! Hahaha! Baby-waby want a binky? Baby-waby want a bottle?"

Blast Zone's fiery eyes scrolled over the shaking Esper. All he saw was an entire sea of messy, dark fur, tangled, mangled. Giddy grins crossed their faces. Drooling, dripping tongues slapped aside their maws. Whoofles escaped from their wet snouts. Their eyes were alight, bright, and their fangs shone like daggers.

Snickering, a few of them traced their calloused fingers over the sharpened edges of axes. Another handful played with slings, whipping them around and around, while admired the shine of their swords. These Seadogs were armed to the teeth! For once, they looked threatening! Some Seadogs gnawed on arrowheads, as if they hadn't had food in years. Seadogs with arrows? Blast Zone had never heard of that before. Those mutts didn't seem like they'd heard either. A lot of them were dangling the arrows upside down, sniffing at its feathers, licking its side. One even had it stuck it up his ear! At least one thing had stayed the same: they were as dumb as rocks. But why so many weapons? These Seadogs were a far cry from being skilled; even a Molekin could see that. Was The Cardmaster afraid? Blast Zone couldn't blame him; he wouldn't want to face himself on a stormy day like this one neither. Amongst the silver of shined metal, the shades of brown, unsightly faces, and wet fur, three, poofy heads popped out from the crowd. White, golden, and chocolate.

Stink Bomb noticed them around the same time Blast Zone did. A squeal sprang from his throat. Blast Zone tilted his head. He hadn't heard such a noise come from him since he was only a trainee! A kit! On some occasions, whenever a child played with his tail, or ate his favorite berries, he always struggled to stifle them. It had never been as loud as that, though! Poochie followed suit, tail swishing. The star-crossed lovers practically threw themselves at their ship's rails, reaching paws out; it looked like something out of a soppy movie. Candy looked as if she was about to do the same, but Cookie put an arm out and shook her head. Sighs both escaped from them as they shuffled their feet, shifting back into the sea of fur, looking hopeless, useless.

"Poochie!"

"Stink Bomb!"

Rubble Rouser set his jaw, chuffing, but he didn't say anything. He narrowed an eye, inspecting the Seapoodles. Grilla Drilla did the same, showing his teeth. _Oh, Stink Bomb_, Blast Zone thought, y_ou silly, silly skunk._ Like the Drillers, he had some suspicions. What if this was all an act? What if this was just a trick? Stink Bomb was as gullible as he was gassy, it seemed. Seadogs couldn't be trusted, he apparently failed to realize. Fluffy or mangy, cute or scruffy. It didn't matter if Poochie was a Seapoodle, she could've been a Seachihuahua for all Blast Zone cared! She-beards were even more manipulative and tricky than the men! It didn't matter though; there was no getting past a starstruck Swampskunk, there was nothing the Swappers could do about it. As long as the Sneaker was happy, he would, or at least try to, be happy. Supporting him was what a good teammate would do.

Blast Zone tilted his head and pondered. A good guy and a bad girl...

Definitely something out of a soppy movie.

"Ugh," Trap Shadow, unlike the others, expressed his feelings aloud, "just what we needed. Seriously, who makes kissy-faces and goo-goo eyes right before a battle?"

Wash Buckler would've corrected this. No matter. Hoot Loop got the job done. With his wand, he whacked the Sneaker over his striped head. Stars, comedically, popped up into the air and Trap Shadow's tongue rolled right out of his maw. "Shut your face!" Blast Zone nearly snorted. Wash Buckler always said that, but it sounded even better when Hoot Loop squawked it! "A little romance isn't our main issue here, Trap Shadow."

Wash Buckler cringed as the howls continued on, louder and louder. The Cardmaster was right: he didn't look too good. He held the sides of his head, faint waves of orange bouncing across it. His skin was pale, unhealthy, almost dry to Blast Zone's eyes. Without water, Mermasquids could get quite irritable, or salty, as Wash Buckler would say. Perhaps he was in desperate need of some. "Yes, yes, you're all hilarious. Can we end this now? I'm getting a headache and I'm really, really ti—"

The Cardmaster nodded. "Oh, yes! Of course, I understand completely!"

"Thanks. So, uh—"

Wild cackles came back for a second round from the crew of the Esper. Some Seadogs completely fell out! They were dying of laughter! In fact, it seemed a bit forced, fake. Did they do dress rehearsals, too?

Bright red splashed over Wash Buckler's face. "Okay, seriously! What are you people laughing at?!"

"Oh, this is rich! So very rich!" The Cardmaster wiped at his eyes; was he actually tearing up? "It's nothing, nothing at all! We just heard a funny joke. A hilarious joke!"

A crackle sounded from above. Of course, Stink Bomb flinched, and, of course, made Poochie giggle. Blast Zone snapped his head up towards the sky. Gray clouds had morphed together in a billowing, black mess. Rain clouds. Thunder clouds. Already? Blast Zone huffed; that had made him even more worried. It was shaping up to be a bad day.

"Kay, great, I don't really want to he—"

"How does it feel?"

"Stop interrupt..." His words drifted away; Wash Buckler had to blink a few times. "Wait, what?"

"Tell me, Wash Buckler," Malice sparkled in his eyes as he narrowed them, and a horrid grin ripped through his maw, "how does it _feel_?" He said the word like a cobra with venom on its tongue, hissing.

"What does what feel like? How does what feel? You mean this headache? Like a bunch of glass stuffed into my brain. Y'know, because of what your wormy friends did. This is all basically your fault. Start keeping them on leashes, seriously."

"Ah, yes. My apologies. Jabb isn't very good at keeping up with pets. But I know you are. How is your child doing, Wash Buckler?"

"...what child?"

"Your child."

"I don't have a kid..."

"Stop playing dumb with me, Skylander. I know you're carrying."

"Dude, I don't have a kid! What do you even mean by carrying? I'm not pregnant, either!"

The Cardmaster snarled. "The Snapper, the spawn. It's inside you!"

Startled, Wash Buckler blurted. "What?!"

"The offspring, the survivor! It should've hatched by now—you should be dead!" The Cardmaster threw his arms up. He scrunched up his snout, grimacing. "Is it not inside you?"

Completely ignoring the question, freaking out, green worry and white fear swirled themselves onto his skin. "OHMYGODS! OHMYGODS! THERE'S A SNAPPER INSIDE ME!" he babbled. "GET IT OUT!" All of the Swappers followed the leader, turning pale at the thought.

All except for one. Spy Rise snorted. "There is no Snapper inside of you, Wash Buckler. I did a scan on everyone. You're fine."

As soon as he said it, Wash Buckler stopped his intelligible ramblings. "Oh. Then what's he talking about?"

"He's just trying to get us scared, that's what!" Grilla Drilla replied with a growl.

The Cardmaster, flustered, stumbled off into the crowd in a mad rage, much to Patches' smirking delight. "**JABB!** Get your tail over here!" As soon as he disappeared into the ocean of matted fur, he reappeared with the lanky cheetah; The Cardmaster stood on his tippy-toes, gripping the bandit by his poor, twisted whiskers.

"Ow, ow, ow, ow, owie-ow-ow! Staphit!" Jabb yowled, pulling away at the exact time The Cardmaster did. Dumb luck at its finest; Blast Zone truly thought those whiskers were going to be yanked right off. Mumbling under his breath, mad as all get up, Jabb rubbed at the side of his muzzle. "What? I was gonna tell yah, but yah nevah asked! Besides, yah didn't give me good directions! 'Ow was I supposed to know which on t'sic the Snapper on! Y'just told me to find the Water Skylander! There's two of 'em! It ain't me fault, cap'n!"

Blast Zone felt his helm flare up. He knew they should've have trusted that cat.

"Well, if it wasn't Wash Buckler then it was..." The Cardmaster's words drifted away, as his scowl soon turned into a smirk, a simper. He turned his attention back to the SWAP Force with that sickening, smug smile of his. Crooked, twisted, like that of a monster from the Outlands. No, like something that could _nauseate_ a monster from the Outlands. A cackle erupted from his maw. "Oh-ho-ho! This is absolutely delicious! Wonderful! Jabb, you've hit the heart of the team! The youngling!"

"So I did a good job?" the cheetah scratched his head.

"Yes, yes, a great job!" The Cardmaster praised. "I can't believe I didn't even think of that!"

" 'Ear that Patchy? I did a great job!"

Angry outbursts from the SWAP Force were as loud as the rushing waters around them,

"Are you kidding me?!"

"Can we kill Momma's Boy now? I want to see him bleed. There's nothing wrong with a little bloodshed here and there, remember?"

"I knew that cat was bad luck!"

Such aggression only fed The Cardmaster's mirth. "How does it feel now, Wash Buckler?" He dodged when Grilla Drilla threw another barrel, it hitting an idle Seadog in his head. "How does it feel knowing that one of your loved ones is being slowly killed from the inside out? How does it feel knowing there's nothing you can do about it?" His voice rose with great strength and his eyes drained of their color, tendrils of violent purple streaming from them. "How does it feel knowing that a part of you will be gone forever?! Does it make you sad? Does it make you mad? Well, good news!" The ugly grin on his face grew ten times more appalling, curving. "The fun's only about to begin! What if I told you that there's another parasite in your ranks?"

"Lies! Filthy, dirty lies!" Spy Rise pointed an accusing finger. For once, Blast Zone was happy he was going off on a wild tangent. "There are no more Snappers! We've got the only one contained in a can! You are lying through your yellowed, plaque-ridden, disgusting teeth!" He stopped when a tentacle met his chest.

"Let him speak, Spy Rise," Wash Buckler said. "I want to hear what he has to say.

"Me? Oh, I don't have anything else to say. Why speak when I can just..." The Cardmaster flicked out a paw, it alighting with a dark aura. "...show you?"

From the way he was giggling, Blast Zone knew he had to have done something. But what?

A garbled combination of rasped words sounded. "Snappers are lethal parasites. They thrive off of the rich nutrients in their host's bloodstream. Even as larvae their mouths are filled with teeth sharp enough to pierce through stone. Their venom is delivered through said-teeth, making any living thing they bite into prey, " The Swappers all turned around to find, lo and behold, Magna Charge spewing science...but not in usual, cutesy Tech way. Index finger risen, he looked as if he had no control over his metal maw. His pupil glitched out into little, pixilated cubes. An eerie mishmash of clicking cogs and sparking electricity blared whenever he spoke.

"It only takes approximately a day for the poison to take its toll on a Mabu child. With enough doses, the toxins may make hosts lose their minds. If its not the venom that kills them, most often it's them who kill themselves. Even if one does survive the process, their minds shall be long gone, decomposed. Amnesia is a common side-effect o_ffff_..." A crackle curtailed the rest of the words, as they ebbed away into nothingness. His eye went dull and his body slumped. Power outage. Thank the gods; Blast Zone didn't want to hear anymore of that. He released an imprisoned sigh; he was not expecting that.

...he hadn't expected what happened next either.

They had all turned on him, faces of disbelief, of horror, of rage. All had differed. Grilla Drilla bared his fangs immediately, within a single heartbeat. Rubble Rouser shook his head, holding tighter than ever on his hammer. Stink Bomb only stared, it seemed to be all he could do. But none had been more mad, more upset, than Wash Buckler, for he had been the epitome of utter wrath. Ripples of hot red and bright orange flashed through his skin, whorls bursting with color. A few spots of deep blue splattered here and there, but were, inevitably, swallowed by splotches of pure fury. He snatched up his sword, lips lifting into a grimace, brows furrowing into a scowl. He lunged at the air, slicing and splitting it, pointing directly at the asleep Ultron. "TRAITOR!"

The Cardmaster snickered. "No, no, not traitor. _PARASITE._"

* * *

Hehe, it's funny because that Donkey Kong joke was just a coincidence! Oh, Acti, you're so magical. Also, 19 chapters in and we've had our first swap...in a fic about the SWAP Force! ...eesh.


	20. Alpha Male

_Alright, before we start, I've put a poll on my profile. It's direly serious! A matter of life-and-death!_

_...what type of chapters do you like? Something in between the 1,000 or 4,000 range. Maybe something like 14,000 words or even over 19,000! Maybe even under 1,000? So, basically...do you guys like something like All That Glimmers or Before the Storm. __I'd like to know, as I feel as if I tend to drawl things out too much...and that can get boring. I almost bored myself reading though Family Matters, the longest chapter in this fic. After skimming through Before the Storm, I feel as if I REALLY need to improve with this._

_Once again, I apologize for the length of the chapter. It just...happened._

* * *

_Freeze Blade slid headfirst into the torched stairs of a little home. He felt the top of his head crack. An insatiable pain slit through his skull; he felt as if it had just been shattered. Biting his lip, he forced himself not to cry. That had hurt in so many different ways. A Frost Feline's hair was their joy and pride...not to mention it was full of a ton of nerve endings! Using all his might, he heaved himself up a little, pushing up on one arm. He let out a sigh and held his head. "That could've gone better..." His words were cut off by a gasp, eyes widening._

_The carriage was STILL going. And so was the gums of the driver._

_"We cannot escape the inevitable, mateys! We will burn! **HAAHAHA!**"_

_Pushing past the waves of Seadogs, a feathery, black figure was right on his tail, materializing out of the shadows. A griffin, but no ordinary griffin—no, that would be a mistake. A sonar blast erupted from her beak in a shriek. Windows shattered at the very sound. Seadogs collapsed to the ground, rolling about, whining in agony. The passengers, howling, leapt out of their seats before anything else could get ugly. __Freeze Blade had to plug his ears. That scream was far from ordinary. Sonic Boom was on the move, storming after the carriage as if it had stolen one of her eggs. The way she moved reminded Freeze Blade of the cheetahs he saw on the nature channel...when Stink Bomb forced him to watch it with him._

_In pain, the Seadog released his grip on the reins, holding paws to his ears. He let out an agonized howl. The horses neighed at the horrible noise, twisting and turning. Shaking their heads, ears flicking, they looked for a way to escape from booming sound, this way and that, up and down._

_"Too late, pony-show!" Cynder, abruptly, came out from the shadows, her scales bright and shiny against the moonlit sky. She knocked Sonic Boom out of the way, slamming right into her side. With a yelp, the griffin was thrown off her feet and sent tumbling back into the swarm of Seadogs. Unable to get up, paws collided into her body, kicking and casting her aside. Someone stamped on her wing, crushing it, squashing it. No, not just someone. Freeze Blade couldn't even count how many times Sonic Boom was tripped over, stepped on. _

_Cynder hadn't even noticed, eyes on her prize. How she hadn't heard the piercing, earsplitting screeching, however, slipped from Freeze Blade's mind. Teeth unsheathed, lightning bolts sprang from her wide, open jaws. Traveling in a shocking stream, they bounced across the air, split into parts, and connected to the carriage. Freeze Blade was blinded, as everything before him exploded into blazing, bright light. _

_Even she was surprised by this and flapped away from the fulgent inferno. Turning to Sonic Boom, Cynder snickered a little. "Well, that's quite combustible. Sorry, I kinda stole your kill back there. There's more mutts in this pound, though. I'm sure you'll find one. I hope Spyro left a few; he looked pissed off that time I saw him!" She sat down, scratching at the scales on the side of her face with a foot. "Eh. Purple pest's probably just in one of his moods. Y'know how he is, a living ball of angst and stress," she nudged the griffin with a wing and made her voice whiny and frail. "Oh, what do I do? Master Eon'll be so mad at me! I'm a terrible leader!"_

_Sonic Boom flicked her ears at Cynder's laughter. Unsettled, she shifted her feet and turned away. Catching sight of the runaway passengers, the griffin's chest swelled, heart pumping against it. __"R-right..."_

_"Hey..." Cynder squinted. She folded her wings back. "What's wrong? Are you alright? You're acting strange."_

_"W-what? Oh, I'm fine. I'm just a little...spooked, that's all. Nothing more."_

_"You sure? I could find Pugface and tell him_—_"_

_"No, thank you."_

_Sonic Boom flinched at the sound of scaling footsteps. Cynder snarled at this, and the two immediately whirled around. _

_No mutt, just a dragon. Covered in gems. Flashwing scrambled towards them, scratches etched into her skin, ash and soot on her crystals. "Are you two okay? I saw this big explosion and..." Her words slowed, gaze landing on Sonic Boom. "What happened?" She glared at Cynder. "Did you saw something out of line again?"_

_Cynder drew her head back. "This is my fault? I didn't do anything...except wreck that carriage. That she was afte_—_ooooohhh_..." The dark dragoness flicked her tail to a side and grabbed the back of her neck. "Yeah, I'm sorry. I didn't know you wanted to blow that thing up so much."

_"It's not that..." Sonic Boom sighed. She looked up. "I just_—OH MY!"

_With a squawk, a feathery mass of deep blue, crimson, and yellow fell from the sky, taking a pratfall on his tail. _

_Cynder cackled like a witch, pointing a claw. "Hahaha, idiot!"_

_"My stars, are you alright?" asked Sonic Boom, nosing his limp wing. Her somberness was lifted from her, motherly instincts kicking in. __"That looked like an awful fall!"_

_Huffily, he got off of his rump, shook out his tailfeathers, and spread his wings before turning with a smile. "Nice job, ladies," the hybrid acted as if no one had even seen his embarrassing tumble. Sunburn, Freeze Blade had guessed from that smooth voice of his. "And Cynder."_

_"Hah-hah, you're hilarious, I almost forgot how to_—_" The phoenix-hybrid didn't even have time to shriek when a dark claw seized his neck. Cynder growled, darkly, and spoke through her unsheathed teeth. "I will tear your esophagus out while you sleep."_

_Sunburn had only looked terrified for a moment. "You know," His eyelids drooped and his brows softened, "you're pretty when you're angry. I like that."_

_"Oh gods," Cynder faked out a gag, releasing her grip. She stalked away, Flashwing by her side. "C'mon, we've got furbags to pelt. No time to lose."_

_"All this humidity is starting to make me feel sick..." the gem dragoness mumbled._

_"Nah, that's just the burning bodies."_

_Sonic Boom tensed at the statement. Freeze Blade would've done the same if he hadn't lived with Night Shift all those years. Whatever came from that mouth when he was angry was like a message from the Underworld. Though the way Cynder had said it so casual, about innocent civilians, now_**_ that_**_ made Freeze Blade feel a little queasy. _

_Sunburn unfurled his wings and rose his tail, ready to lift off. "Hey, Sohn. Y'coming?"_

_The mother was quick to answer, feathers prickled. "Uh, n-no. I'm fine, I'll sit here and...make sure everyone gets out safely."_

_"M'kay," he only gave a nod. Sunburn sprung up into the air...and crashed right into a building. _

_Freeze Blade scooted back. "Okay, so to recap, the Skylanders are...attacking the Seadogs? And the dogs have engulfed the village in flames...becaaause_—**OW!**" A pebble crashed into his head. "What the?" He looked up to find—as luck would have it—two other Skylanders ontop of the roof: Flameslinger and Fright Rider.

_"Flameslinger, must I remind you again? We're not trying to hurt them."_

_"Try?" He muffled a laugh. "I do not try, I do!" Loftily, the archer waved a hand. "That was just a warning, Rider_—_just a little warning! I did not hurt him! His constant barking was getting on my nerves."_

_Fright Rider held one hand up to an ear, grimacing. "So listening to him screaming suffices?"_

_Flameslinger opened his mouth to speak, but closed it in defeat. His ears flattened a bit. "Yes, yes. I do admit, that probably wasn't a smart idea."_

_Fright Rider, proud of his achievement, fitted himself with a smirk and crossed his arms._

_"He sounds even worse when screaming. Allow me to put him out of his misery," His bow rose up once more, but before he could even grab an arrow, Rider slapped him right side his head. Fright flinched and gave a squawk._

_Flameslinger nodded, putting a hand to one temple. "Why yes, Fright, that was rather rude. Completely unnecessary!"_

_Rider scoffed, white eyes rolling. "That was my warning. TRY to remember Spyro's orders, please, for Eon's sake!" He grabbed Fright by his reins, making the Undead ostrich turn. "For MY sake!"_

_"Yes, mother..."_

_That was the last Freeze Blade heard of them, besides the scrabbling of feet. The Frost Feline, clueless as ever, rose his smarting head to see the elves leaping from roof to roof, as if they were pretending to be ninjas. Only a murmur could form from his lips. "What...what is..." Speechless. His mouth felt numb and his tongue was dry. What were they doing? Were they the ones who started the fire? Had the Skylanders did all this? Had Spyro wanted this? Freeze Blade didn't believe it_—_he couldn't believe it! His veins went cold, far more cold than ever, far more cold. His heart pounded, banging up against his chest, as if it wanted to escape. He let out a pained whimper, clawing at his head. Squirming, Freeze Blade laid his back against the wall, only to lurch forth with a yowl. Sparks of fire had given him a nasty bite. "Dream, I want out now! I don't_—_I don't like this! S-stop it! I don't like it here! Everyone looks like clowns, a-and my friends are trying to kill people..." He felt as if he had just been shaken like a doll. Adrenaline rushed through his body and blood gurgled in his ears. His brittle voice crackled just like the wild flames around him. He pulled his legs in, sweating, shaking arms hugging them. "And just get me outta here already! Thi-this isn't cool! I want to go back! Bring me back! PLEASE!"_

_Cat claws clutched at the grass...only for them to jump back up. Wet worms crawled all over his fingers, draping over them, squirming over them. As anyone would in such a situation, he shouted and shook out his hands, sending the living, pink strings flying. Something else flew off with them..._

_He didn't know what, but a bit of it splattered his face. With a groan, Freeze Blade rubbed at his fur...only rubbing more and more of it in. "Ugh," he grimaced at the smell, "what is..."_

_His eyes went wide, for they finally landed their gaze at his paws._

_Red. Blood. Dark, staining, sticky, awful blood. So much red.  
_

_He didn't scream, for the squeal was stuck in his burning throat. Freeze Blade's mouth went agape, stuck, hinged open as if his jaws had been frozen. Horrible chills seized his bones. Sputtering and stammering, the Frost Feline found himself only able to shiver. He looked away...and immediately wished he hadn't._

_A blackened husk, a body of a Seadog; mangled, he was left for dead. Swords, stuck in the muddy ground, skewered into his slit belly, hanging him up like a museum display for all the world to see. Burnt fur had been messily ripped from his pelt, thrown about. Shown skin was red and raw, patchy with dark scabs, inflamed by white bubbles of pus. One of his ears had been torn off, bits of stringy flesh drooping over. Tainted teeth jutted from his broken, snapped jaw. Congealed blood oozed from all his wounds, from everywhere, inching down the blades that held him up like red, snail slime. His limp head hung, tongue lopping._

_Freeze Blade would've shrieked if vomit hadn't been rising into his gullet, nearly choking him when he swallowed. "Oh gods..." he rasped out. Stricken with absolute fear, shaky exhales vented from quivering lips. "Oh gods..." Insides coiling, he felt his stomach doing somersaults, tossing and turning like a dying fish. His skin went pale. "OH GODS..." No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't tear his gaze off of the cadaver. Red intestines fell to the ground with a sickening plop, all in one, single pile._

_"OH_—_"_

_Throwing himself to the ground, back arching, he breathed, in and out, in and out, like a fish out of water. What even was this?! What was even happening anymore?! Freeze Blade gasped for air, but only received the stench of oily smoke, burning fur, and roasted flesh. Trying to to hack up bile, he slunk over to a clean patch of grass, collapsed into a shivering heap, and plunged his tear-stricken face into the wet ground. "PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEEEASE!"_

_No, this couldn't be happening__—this couldn't have happened! The Skylanders weren't the murderers The Cardmaster said they were! He wouldn't believe that! This was all a dream, just a nightmare, it was all in his head!  
_

_Amongst the roars of Spyro, amongst the howls of the Seadogs, amongst his own whimpers, there was the faintest of noises. Faint like a feather, faint like the wings of a butterfly. _

_Someone was sobbing._

* * *

The Pit, a literal hellhole, with darkness and despair and enough torture to go around. Dragons fought tooth and claw for their survival, for their very lives. Many were slain, some were eaten, dead or alive. An awful, terrible, horrifically bad destination to share peace, love, and hugs. An awful, terrible, horrifically bad destination for Whirlwind, right? One might expect her, the Skylander, to be working her tail off at trying to save these poor, desperate dragons, healing those injured, putting a smile on someone's sickly face...

Not today.

Saving? More like kicking butt. Healing? Scarring, actually. Putting a smile on someone's face?

"VWAKA!"

Vwaka, indeed.

Whirlwind watched as another dragon was blasted off, riding a violent stream of rainbows, sent screaming into the sky. The Skylander had been doing this for what seemed like hours, dodging and weaving, twisting and turning. Whirlwind had long forgotten about the mission as a whole. She was having fun! For such mean, rough-looking dragons, they dropped like flies with the simple flick of a claw. The dragoness actually found herself laughing for the first time since she arrived! Hopping over fallen bodies, the Skylander gave a whinny of delight. Just as she was about to lift into the air, sharp teeth yanked her back down to earth. Lashing herself around, she ripped her tail right out of his maw, fur tearing, and met his snout with a slash. Her claws weren't sharp enough to do much, but they got the message across.

The attacker, snorting out a spout of smoke, flashed his fangs and snarled. Whirlwind did the same, rearing up to make herself look bigger. As soon as she came down, black nails nearly connected to the side of her head. Wincing, she turned, but it wasn't for good. She'd only helped him. The nails missed, but scratched across her eyes in a single slash. It was a shallow cut. Nevertheless, blood seeped out, trailing across the air as it was slung from the enemy's claw.

"Ahh!" Blinded, Whirlwind reeled back. The air was knocked out of her as she found herself suddenly thrown to the ground. Wildly, the hybrid swiped her claws out, hoping they'd meet with something. As soon as she met contact, Whirlwind caught onto tough scales, digging into skin, never letting go. She had him right where he wanted him. Perhaps the odds were still in her favor! Sudden warmth burnt onto her skin, as she heard jaws opening wide...and a hiss. He was about to breathe fire. Whirlwind's fur prickled. Now was the time! Rainbows blasted from her horn and weight was immediately lifted from her. She, stumbling up, opened her eyes just in time to see the dragon sent flying across the Pit.

Another dragon leapt right over her; he missed his target entirely, tumbling into a rock. Whirlwind snickered. "Nice try, but you're gonna have to be better than nice to stop—"

"**RRROAAAWR!**"

She didn't even have time to shriek when something big crashed into her, knocking her aside. As she was flipped up into the air, sent spinning, a deadly horn tried to gore her, but she just narrowly missed it. The whole world seemed to turn before she crashed back down with the earth, spine slamming into ground. The hidden enemy loomed over her, breathing, panting, snorting. As soon as Whirlwind opened her eyes, a squeak tore from her throat.

This dragon had to be the most menacing she'd seen. He had completely blown Gravel, Apep, and Pyralis all out of the water! Rafts of serrated teeth filled his gums and fulled his mouth. It didn't look like he could even form words! His bloated tongue seeped out from the side of his maw, polka-dotted and puffy. A rudder-like, heavy-looking tail dragged behind horns on the beast were curled backwards, digging into his studded, brown scales. The horn that had tried to hurt her lay propped up on his pig-nose. Like that of a goat, his pupils were only slants in his wide, buggy, bulging eyes. For someone so squat and short, his girth was mighty, and so was his utter strength. Definitely an Earth Dragon. Whirlwind was shocked beyond belief!

Wildly, she squirmed around, rolling over onto her back in a quick attempt to get away, only to squeal in pain. Heavy claws crushed her wings, stomping them down into the sand. Her tail swished, her legs kicked, and her head tossed, but she wasn't getting anywhere. Snorts of frustration escaped from her nostrils. She was starting to think this dragon wasn't even a dragon at all! More like a big, animated boulder! Her horn began to alight, spirals of rainbow color coiling around like snakes, and she grit her teeth._ If my new friend's going to play dirty_, Whirlwind thought, _so am I!_

"Wait! Wait, wait, wait! Vyruss, don't damage the specimen! It's for science!"

She looked up to see, once again, another dragon rushing towards her. The Skylander cocked her head. Or was that just a speck? She squinted. Maybe a bird? From where she stood, or rather from where she was being squashed, this dragon looked like nothing more than an insect. What was a hatchling doing on this field—was that even a hatchling?

"Down, Vyruss! Down, I say! Do not crush her! I want her in mint condition!"

No, not rushing. Trotting, like a show pony. As he came more and more into view, amongst the spouts of rising sand, Whirlwind could define his features. His eyes were pristine, clear, like cleaned glass. The studded scales on his slick body seemed of new, red clay, stuck on individually, one by one. He didn't have any wings, like most Earth Dragons. Dainty, little claws rose up and down; every time they lifted he, with a bitter expression, shook them off. It looked as if he was doing the tango with the sand! Strut, strut, pause, shake, strut, Whirlwind tried to count how many times he did it. Now, he looked more like a funky chicken! She would've believed he was a malfunctioning robot if it weren't for a single scar that snaked up through his face, stapled with metal slabs, loosely stitched with black thread. It was a poor job, too; Whirlwind could see a bit of his flesh! She would've offered to help him...if he wasn't a murderous, cannibalistic dragon. She couldn't forget about that. How could she forget about that? How did she keep forgetting about that?! He didn't look like much of a fighter; he looked fancy, with an added bonus of a splotch that resembled a bowtie on his chest. Nevertheless, that chin of his could probably cut someone! Poke out their eyes, even! What a peculiar dragon.

He was huffing and puffing by the time he got over to them. "Thank you, Vyruss, but I can—"

Whirlwind felt her ears fly forward as hot, humid air brushed past them. Vyruss hinged his big jaws and made a huffing noise, something not quite a roar. Whatever it was, it sounded indignant as all get-up! This Vyruss character really was a big child.

"Sharing is caring, Vyruss,** BUT** since you are terribly horrifying and could probably crush me in two seconds, I won't bother you. And I am not afraid, if that is what you are thinking!" he sniffed. "Well, well, well," The scrawny dragon finally turned his attention to Whirlwind, a smile curling his scaly lips. Unlike Bash, another Earth Dragon, he didn't carry an earthy scent. Instead, a oily, chemical stench tickled Whirlwind's nostrils, as if he had rolled around in the waste of an Arkeyan factory. She turned her head away. Why did all these dragons have to smell terrible? Did they bathe in the rotting half-eaten flesh of their enemies, too? His voice was like that of snail slime, oozy and slow. It sounded almost as if an entire Boingo Nut was stuck up his nostrils. If her eyes were closed, she would've just thought he was Spy Rise with a bad headcold. "What an oddity. I do believe we have hit what they call the jackpot, wouldn't you agree, Vyruss?"

Whirlwind twitched her ears a little. Was she hearing right? She bit back her mirth with all her might, stifling a snort. What type of voice was that?! _No! I can't laugh at that! I have to look threatening_, she thought, _but none of them are afraid of me. Okay, think threatening thoughts. Or maybe I can make a new friend? Try to make a new friend? An acquaintance? Oh, Whirlwind, you airhead. Why would they want to be friends? These aren't Skylanders, silly, But she decided it was worth a shot, anyway. No harm in trying, right? _Pit Dragons were tough-looking, like bruisers in a gang, with cuts and scars and the brunt of everything. Yeah, just like that! Like greasers! Or the Mafia! Whatever that was. Whirlwind, remembering all the bad movies the Swappers stole from Earth, stiffened up her lips and wrinkled her snout. Her fur bushed out to an entirely, new level as she made herself look like a big, blue balloon. Chest puffed, wings flared, and head held high, she gnashed her flat teeth. "What do you want...er..." Her eyes darted away and her words trailed. "Daddy-O?"

With a gasp, he grasped Whirlwind by her muzzle. "Oooo-hoo-hoo!" he whooped. Releasing his grip, the dragon patted the side of her face, twisting and turning fur. "Such intriguing dialect! Skylander, tell me, what does 'wocka' mean? Or was it 'vodka'? What is a Daddy-O?"

Whirlwind swatted his grubby paw away with the flick of an ear; she was getting rather tired of biting. He leapt back with a shriek, as if he HAD been bitten. She squinted. What was with this dragon? He didn't look like he belonged here at all! Scrawny, small, nothing like all the monsters surrounding him. "And you would be?"

"Oh, my apologies, Skylander. I can't believe I almost forgot! Well, my name the Morbus, Morbus the Third, your friendly, neighborhood scientist. Mhm, I'm considered more of a MAD scientist, if you wish to get technical. I see you have met Vyruss, my brother, so to speak. Can't you see the resemblance?" Morbus took his time to laugh at his own joke, slapping the sand with a tail. Whirlwind forced a smile. He seemed okay...until his mirth came to an abrupt end. Giving a nod, his pupils narrowed as he looked up at Vyruss. An unintelligible murmur escaped from his maw.

"What?" Whirlwind flinched when a heavy claw dug into her back, and another gripped her head. Vyruss

"It's nothing personal—no, no, it's personal. Really personal." Morbus flashed a quick smile. "I lied."

"But I-I—we just met! What did I do wrong?!"

"Nothing. You made actually made a good first impression. It's just that..." He shook his head. "Oh bother, it won't be a surprise if I tell you now. Come along then! I can't waiii..." drawled Morbus. His nose twitched and he looked around, wildly. "Vyrsuss, what is that?" The bigger dragon started to growl. "Who is there?"

His growls slowly shrank down into whimpers as a rattling noise sounded, like something beating and brushing together. Like deadly spines. The noise was familiar, that's all Whirlwind knew.

"Pinning a lady down? Kids nowadays. Have you no respect?" a disembodied voice said, tsking and tutting. "Let an elder teach you some manners."

Whirlwind gasped. "You came ba..."

Her whoop of delight turned to a sudden screech...as acid scraped across the back of her neck.

* * *

_Traitor_.

The word didn't fall under anyone's category of traits. Everyone could act like one on occasions. Trap Shadow was one to backstab from time to time, but he was never full out called a traitor. Freeze Blade snuck out at night to do gods know what, but he was never called a traitor. The SWAP Force stole stuff from Earth! Potientially creating rifts in dimensions, alternating reality!

But they weren't traitors.

...could Magna Charge truly be considered a traitor? _Was_ he a traitor?

They'd all done things, some good, some bad. As much as they liked to brag about it, Skylanders were a far cry from perfection. And that only was proven today.

Magna Charge, terrified out of his mind, rose his hands with a robotic warble, a whine. Clearly, he had no idea what was going on...and neither did Blast Zone. Wash Buckler looked just fine a few moments ago. Sure, he acted a little salty, but that was expected. He didn't look like he was about to turn rogue! Wash Buckler was never one to get too snappy, and he definitely never got like this! If anyone was a traitor, it was him. A traitor to his personality.

"Sensei!"

Blast Zone nearly jumped right out of his golden exoskeleton at the sound, as the rest of his teammates rushed forth like a stampede of wild buffaloes, bellowing into battle! Did he hear what he thought he heard? Sensei? As in master? Why, Stink Bomb hadn't called Wash Buckler that in ages! Since he was a young kit-only a trainee! Deja vu hit him like a Sky Train off its tracks. If he had a heart, it probably would've stopped.

The last time he heard those words...

A shiver rattled throughout his suit.

No, no, that wasn't happening-that couldn't be happening. Fear overtaking him, he looked down at his mitts.

Nothing.

His flames dimmed.

Of course not! He would've reacted to it already. Good, good. Everything was just fine. Fine, fine, fine. But there was still more problems to take care of...

Rubble Rouser jumped right on top of Wash Buckler's back, hooking drilling feet around his waist, and hollering into the Mermasquid's earhole. "This ain't my first rodeo, Bucky!" He was right; for a species notorious for brains the size of pebbles, Rubble Rouser knew his way around a problem. The Earth Skylander tinkered and fiddled with things as if he were apart of the Tech Element. He was the Headquarters' handyman, fixing holes in the wall, punched down doors, and everything and anything else the Swappers just happened to wreck. "Snap outta it! This ain't you, Wash Buckler! I swear, if you so as TOUCH Maggie with those grubby cups of yours, I will crush you! I will squash you like a grape!" The crushing would probably happen anyway. Rubble Rouser weighed more than Mount Cloudbreak!

Wash Buckler twisted about, again and again. He got more and more frustrated with every wild turn. "Augh! Get offa me!"

"I plan to! Do you know how slimy you are? As long as you step away from Magna and be a doll..."

"GET OFF OF—"

Rubble Rouser shoved the hilt of his hammer squarely at the Mermasquid's throat, heaving his head up, choking him. "I don't like your tone!"

Wash Buckler pawed at it, trying to tear away the handle. He smirked as soon as his fingers made suction.

"Rubble Rouser, stop!" Hoot Loop flew forth, his eyes whirling into hypnotizing spirals. "You're only going to make it wor—" He didn't have much to say, as his magical ring was yanked right from below him by a tentacle. Before he could fall to the ground, it was thrown back at him, spatting his skull. The owl collapsed into a feathery heap, unconscious, without so much as a single peep. Wash Buckler definitely had the advantage in this fight; all those legs would make quick work of anyone and everyone, from all directions. To make matters worse, the Mermasquid could barely even control them today!

As the leader heaved the hilt up and away, Rubble Rouser lost his footing and gave a yelp. The Digger was thrown right over the Mermasquid's head! Blast Zone couldn't believe his eyes! "Whoooaaa!" With a shout, the Stonesapien crashed into the rails; the Mongrel tipped at his weight, and he had to hook the drill of his weapon on one of the rusted bars. Dangling. Right over the rushing waves of the sea. "Uh, guys?! N-not my first rodeo, but I'd like to get off the bull now! Little help here!" Magna Charge started to come to his aid, but was interrupted by the yell of Wash Buckler.

"Oh, no, you don't, you lying—"

A purple chain coiled itself around his wrist. "Not so fast, boss," Trap Shadow waggled a finger, "Someone's been a BAAAD squidy!" He yanked, making Wash Buckler, against his will, lurched forth. Defiantly, Wash Buckler pulled back, but Trap's grip was just as strong as his bite. Like a snake, another chain whipped out, and the Mermasquid let out a grunt of dismay as it tightened. Trap Shadow only smirked. Of course, he WOULD be enjoying this. Finally getting a chance to beat up his leader? It was probably something out of a dream for him. His teeth showed, as he grinned like an imp. Loud bursts of howling laughter escaped from him, throwing his head up to the sky. "Oh, boy, this is gonna be fun!" Stuffing the ends of the chains into his maw, he bounded about with wild snickers and snorts, stepping on each tentacle as he went around like a horse on a carousel. "WHMAT A DHAY!" roared Trap Shadow, mouth full of metal.

"Ba...ba...ba!" Eyes bulging from his skull, Free Ranger sputtered at the abrupt display, making typical Storm Chicken noises. Feathers ruffled up, he shouted. "Stop it, Shadow! This is serious! Y-you're hurting him-you're not fixing anything!"

Trap Shadow couldn't hear him, for he was too busy laughing his heart out. Well, either that or he was just ignoring him.

Desperately, Free Ranger turned Spy Rise. "What should we do?! Spy...Rise?"

Everyone turned their gaze to him.

Spy Rise hadn't said a word, for he couldn't find one, or any words for that matter. His legs trembled, and his whole body shook. Perhaps that big brain of his had been scrambled. He just stared, as only stammers escaped from him. _What should we do? _The question echoed through Blast Zone's helm. _What should **I** do? _He hadn't had the slightest clue. Join in the party and wrestle Wash Buckler? Almost thrown into the ocean like Rubble Rouser? The cold...endless...ocean. Blast Zone shuddered. There had to be another way to get through to him. One thing was for certain though: Free Ranger was losing his mind. Wildy, he clawed at his own feathers, ripping them out. "Oh, great! This is absolutely perfect! What are we supposed to do now?! Spy Rise always knows what to do! Oooo, this is bad. So very, very bad." Beak chattering, the Storm Chicken started to pace around in a circle. Despite his impulsive ways, sometimes he really did seem like the bird version of Spy Rise. He could handle a hurricane, but stress was a big no-no. That and closed spaces. And weasels.

As Wash Buckler was being tortured, Magna Charge used this as an opportunity and tried to slink away to Rubble Rouser, but was met with a snarl. Grilla Drilla stood before him, teeth bared. He rose to his legs, wrinkling his face into a scowl. No words were exchanged; the message was clear. Magna Charge hesitated, taking his gaze off and on the Drillers. It wasn't until Grilla growled again that the Ultron backed up, defeated.

"OH!" Free Ranger danced about, as if he was stepping on hot coals. And howling as if he was, too. "I'm not supposed to be the leader! I'm supposed to be the boastful, impulsive one!"

"I thought that was Boom Jet?" Rubble Rouser cocked a rocky eyebrow. "Or Freeze Blade?"

"I'm not supposed to be the leader! I'm supposed to be the boastful, flamboyant one!"

"And that's Hoot Loop..."

"Whatever!" the Storm Chicken sputtered.

Stink Bomb hissed. He scraped a foot against the floor, like a bull. "Enough! Let me end this!"

"Wait, wait!" Grilla Drilla grabbed the skunk's tail. "Wh-what are you doing?! He lied to us—he deserves what's coming!" The Drilla was only met with a kick in the face. Blast Zone had expected something far worse, but it got the point across. Stumbling back, he stared at the Swampskunk as if he'd just grown another tail.

"I'm going!" Stink Bomb gnashed his teeth and started forth. "No!" Free Ranger interjected, putting an arm out. "You can't; you're not...err..." He rubbed at the nap of his neck.

"What? I'm not what?"

"...you're not really..."

"Strong enough?"

"Experienced enough."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Free Ranger nearly cut him off. "Just let me handle this. I think Trap Shadow's on to something..." He cupped a claw before his beak. "Keep it up, Shadow!"

He didn't say a word. Definitely ignoring.

Blast Zone turned his attention back to the Seadogs. And The Cardmaster.

The captain snickered. "See? I don't have to do a thing. The Skylanders will kill _themselves_. It's in their nature."

A shrill squawk sounded, and Blast Zone looked just in time to see Free Ranger being flung into floor, tentacle wrapped around his foot. Orange feathers flew up at the impact and his crest fizzled, like a broken light. Before he had time to catch his breath, the Storm Chicken was flown back, over Wash Bucker and into a chained-up Trap Shadow, who was trying to stagger to his feet. Wood chips burst into the air as they were sent bowling into fish-filled barrels.

Enough was enough. Blast Zone had to get into action.

Wash Buckler drew his sword, bubbles popping around its blade. A twinkle sparkled in his eyes as soon as they landed on Magna Charge. "You don't belong on this team! I should've known; you're a robot. I knew you'd rise against us. You're plaguing us...and I need to get rid of your SSSICKNESS!"

_Clatt! _

He stiffened.

His cutlass made contact, but not with the air, or mechanical skin...

He leapt back in pain, shaking out a heated hand. Blast Zone hovered, high and mighty. He looked down at the fallen sword and met Wash Buckler with a stern glare, one far sharper than any blade. Splotches of red and orange splashed his skin, bursting in whorls of violent color. "What are you doing? I almost—"

"Injured another teammate? Again?" His voice was harsh, commanding. "What's gotten into you? I know you're mad—"

"I'm not mad!" interjected Wash Buckler, as he tried his hardest to hide his flashing emotions, even as a whole collage of chaos painted over him. "Who ever said I was mad?!"

"—we're all mad, Wash Buckler. This should have never happened..."

"NONE of this should have happened! And none of this would've have happened if that lying cheat over there, hidin' like the rat he is, wasn't keeping secrets from us!"

Before he could start forth for Magna Charge, retrieving his cutlass, Blast Zone got right into his face. "But that gives you no right to go around threatening everyone just because you're upset!" This is not how a leader behaves, Wash Buckler, and you know it. Stop acting like someone you aren't!"

"I know who I am!" Wash Buckler retorted, jabbing himself in the chest. "I'm Wash Buckler, I'm your leader!" His eyes narrowed and his voice deepened, like that of a growl. "You don't have to remind me who I am. I'm the leader of this team, Blast Zone. I make the rules, you follow them. That's how this all works—that's how it's always been."

Blast Zone sighed. "Don't you understand?"

"Do YOU understand? I'm the leader, you're the deputy. I'm the alpha, you're the beta. Get it? Now, could you_ please_ stop talking? Could you please get out of my way?"

"Remember the Glory Days? Remember the good times? And all the fun we had? All the memories?"

Looking away, Wash Buckler snorted. He crossed his arms. "Yeah, I remember the fun. Was really fun to be stuck on a floating hunk of rocks, protecting an ACTIVE volcano for years, wasting our lives away, stuck there like barnacles, just because Master Eon didn't want to do it himself. Yes, I remember that very well, Blast Zone."

Blast Zone shrunk back, lost for words, only a gasp escaped from him. Never in his life had he ever wanted to slap the living daylight out of Wash Buckler, his leader—never!

But today...

That was it! His mitts started to quiver, and he had to clench them to stop himself from burning the Mermasquid to a crisp. Blast Zone heard the amused snickers of Seadogs, the murmurs of the SWAP Force, but the angry crackling of his own flames was by far the loudest, drowning out everything else around him. He opened his mouth, but he found that his words were ripped away from him. "Y-you don't mean that..." How could he? How dare he! How could anyone say something like that about Master Eon?! "You can't say something like that!" What had just happened? It was as if Trap Shadow just leapt back inside his body! Blast Zone could only stare. The furnace knight couldn't believe what he'd just heard! From the mouth of Wash Buckler—Wash Buckler of all the people in Skylands! Maybe from Boom Jet, maybe even from Grilla Drilla, but _him_? The happy-go-lucky octopus? The guy who practically loved everyone and everything in the world? Never! No, this couldn't be right! This couldn't have been Wash Buckler! Could it? Blast Zone squinted...and saw as black specks marched across that smiling, smug face. "Gah!" he jumped.

They disappeared just as fast as they had appeared. Wash Buckler, confused, squinted right back at him. "What?"

"Noth-nothing..." Blast Zone turned his head away, solemnly. What was that? What happened? It didn't matter. He needed to pay attention, stay focused. Explain himself. "You are far more than just a leader, Wash Buckler. Remember that time when Spy Rise shut down after the rainfall? Who was there by his side, the whole time? Bringing him soda even though he couldn't drink it. Assuring Fire Kraken that he'd be alright even though none of us had the slightest clue. Always keeping an open mind, always looking on the brighter side, always having hope. Or when Stink Bomb had that nightmare about that Fire Viper? You remember. He said it swallowed everyone and everything in Skylands, he said that he was left alone. Who was there to comfort him? Who let him wear his hat? His special hat? Telling him that it'd keep him safe, away from all the monsters underneath their bed, away from all the bad dreams. You're a caretaker, Wash Buckler."

"I am NOT a caretaker. I'm not a wuss; I don't do gushy wuv stuff, never have."

"How about the time when Boom Jet and Fire Kraken got into that argument? Or the time when Stink Bomb and Trap Shadow fought tooth-and-claw? Or when Free Ranger and Hoot Loop scuffled about whose feathers were prettiest? Or when Night Shift and Freeze Blade bickered? ALL those times. Every single time. Who always steps in? You're a peacekeeper, Wash Buckler. You keep us sane with your jokes, with your smile. You're always there for us, even when we don't want you there. In the blink of an eye, you have us laughing, you have us grinning from ear-to-ear. You have Boom Jet and Fire Kraken going off to do a scatterbrained stunt, you have Stink Bomb and Trap Shadow hugging it out—"

Even while racked with pain, groaning, said-duo interjected immediately to protect their dignity,

"We never did that."

"Th-that was just one time. Just once, I swear!"

"You're not supposed to say that out loud!"

"Well, I'm not good at keeping secrets!"

"Idiot..."

"I just saved your freaking life! From a bunkbed! You cats have no respect."

Nevertheless, Blast Zone continued; he had shut the rest of the world out, focus only on the Mermasquid in front of him. "—you have Free Ranger and Hoot Loop grooming each others' feathers, and you have Night Shift and Freeze Blade...doing whatever it is they do!"

"Know your place, Blast Zone," Wash Buckler warned, venomously, as he played with the cutlass in his hand. "Get back in order. I am not afraid to hurt you."

"You always help us in time of need. When we're feeling down, you're always there to pat us on the back, or give us a thumbs-up. You do anything to make us smile. Why, I remember the time Fire Kraken sprained his ankle, when he had to stay cooped up in bed, not able to go on missions, not able to be...well...Fire Kraken! You tried your best to make him laugh—you did the most ludicrous of things! You even tied your tentacles into a knot! He didn't smile, he didn't even budge, but you didn't give up. So you tried a magic trick! What'd you pull out from your hat? A mad piranha, of course! Fire Kraken laughed so hard fire shot from his nose!" Blast Zone had to quiet a few chuckles of his own, holding a mitt to his mouth. "And then there was the time Grilla Drilla was homesick. He didn't want to do anything, he didn't want to see anyone. What did you do? Unleashed tons of wild monkeys all over the place!" Blast Zone chortled, shoulders bouncing. If he had the ability to cry, the furnace knight was sure tears that would be streaming down his face. "S-spy Rise thought it was the stupidest idea you'd ever had! But Grills, h-heh, he had the time of his life!"

A few Swappers, much to Wash Buckler's annoyance, followed suit, snickering under their breath. He clenched his fists, shaking with fury. Dark maroon seeped through his skin, rays of bright orange and yellow smearing through it. His eyes darted this way and that, as he glared at all of his teammates. "Stop that. S-stop laughing!" They didn't stop. Slight smiles formed on their lips, growing and growing into full-blown grins as they giggled. Were they playing along?

Nudging Spy Rise, who didn't even flinch, Rubble Rouser let out a hearty laugh. "And the time wh-when Boom Jet got his head stuck in that tree? With that sap stuff? You made everyone camp out there for the entire night, coming up with ridiculous plans hour after hour. Risking the possibility of Mount Cloudbreak being overtaken by The Darkness! You didn't wanna leave, not until Boom was free, though he didn't want 'cha to help 'im anyway. I don't even remember how many jars of peanut butter we went though that day! But I do remember that BJ was a PB&amp;J sandwich when he was finally free! All the woodland critters trailed after 'im for weeks-even a woolly beast Trap Shadow! I think Fire Kraken tried to steal a few licks, too!"

Free Ranger staggered up off the wet ground, holding his back. "Oh, that's nothing. Remember what happened with Freeze Blade? During his...pubescent stage? With all those mood swings? He was so depressed, locked himself in his room. You dragged him outside by his leg! By his _leg_! Haha, you made him meet that one girl he was afraid of talking to! You hooked them up together! Sure, that relationship didn't last a second, but he had fun!"

"That won't make him jog his memory!" Grabbing ahold of Free Ranger, nearly dragging the Storm Chicken down, Trap Shadow stood himself up. He started cackling before he could even get his words out. "Remember when Stink Bomb sat on that porcupine?" the smilodon asked in between giggles.

The skunk slapped a paw to his face and groaned. "That wasn't funny."

"It _WAS_ kind of funny..." Rubble Rouser hid his toothy smirk. _Tried_ to hide his toothy smirk.

"Don't encourage him."

Trap Shadow cut their conversation off quick with a roar of a laugh. "**HIS BUTT LOOKED LIKE A PINCUSHION!**" His mirth appeared to be contagious, as everyone on-board flinched at the sound of Seadogs, howling out just as loud as him. "No one wanted to even touch those quills with a ten-foot pole—or even a pair of tweezers! But you—**HAHAH!**" He gave more than a snicker, throwing his head back, as if he'd just found the funniest thing of the century. "Whoo!" Trap Shadow exhaled, finally, and wiped the tears from his eyes. "You've got some serious guts, I'll tell you that."

Cacophonous merriment erupted from the maws of Seadogs, as they dropped their weapons to slap their knees and hold their stomachs. They slung their arms around each other to stop themselves from collapsing, hanging on. It didn't work. _Thud, thud, thud! _Rolling bodies fell to the floor, kicking, squirming; they acted like they lost all control,

"What a cut-up!"

"Did ye 'ear that, mateys?!"

"I like that cat! I never thought I'd see the day when one was actually funny!"

"Sat on a porcupine! Hahah! What the 'ell is a porcupine?"

"Haw-haw! From now on, we should put porky-pines under all our enemies' bums!"

"N-no, seriously what's a porcupine?"

Thus, of course, the Swappers all burst out into laughter too! A chain of mirth, spanning from enemy to enemy, ally to ally. Wash Buckler twisted and turned, not knowing who to glare at, or where to look. "St-stop it! Stop that!" Much to his chagrin, there was no stopping to this hilarity. From the look on his face, Blast Zone could tell Wash Buckler had had enough. "**GRRRAAAUGH!**"

There was a gap, a gap of utter silence. Everyone stopped laughing.

Blast Zone had never heard a Mermasquid growl before—and never wanted to hear it again. Was that even a growl? The red face of Wash Buckler looked as fierce as the flames burning in the Rocketeer's body. Unable to form his words, Blast Zone stared in silence. How much redder could his leader get? That sounded almost like a game.

This was no game.

"You all think I'm some sort of bumbling idiot, don't you? Just some guy. Just some stupid, dumb guy. It's like you think I'm dead! I hear every, little word you say about me! Each and every one!"

"No, no, we don't think you're an idiot!" Blast Zone wildly waved his mitts in front of his face. "We never said that!"

Trap Shadow turned his head aside. "That's debatable..." murmured the Sneaker.

Blast Zone felt every part of his body tense up at the stinging glare of Wash Buckler. If he was leader, Trap Shadow would've already been kicked off the team. The furnace knight returned the same gaze to the ignorant smilodon. Did he really, truly, earnestly want a bomb stuffed into his mouth today? The cat seemed to be begging for it.

"Look at me!" hissed Wash Buckler. "Look into my eyes when I talk to you!"

"You're everyone's friend, Wash Buckler. You're like a brother to me—you're like a brother to everyone. Y-you—"

"**I AM THE ALPHA MALE.**"

A shot heard around the world.

That was what if felt like—that was what it sounded like. The waves stopped rushing, the seabirds stopped squawking, and even the storm above stopped its roars. Everything fell into an abyss of total silence. As if the universe and its inhabitants had ceased to even exist. Blast Zone half-expected for someone to snicker. Or cough. Or sneeze. Something. Anything! Heck, a Code Ten from Stink Bomb would've sufficed right about now! Sure, it'd make him almost combust, but he was willing to do anything to get rid of this silence. Such a thing wasn't the SWAP Force way.

A strange, squelching noise sounded and the fierce, fiery colors on Wash Buckler were switched by a quick starburst of yellow, of surprise. Ink spilled out onto the deck, flowing from under him in all directions. With a yelp, he scuttled back, but only dragged the stuff with him, making more of a mess. Rings of purple danced down his ink-splattered tentacles as he looked at them with wide eyes. Embarrassment. The exact, same face he always had when this happened. Like the face of Spy Rise when he malfunctioned in public. Like the face of Fire Kraken after breaking something.

"Oh my," Blast Zone stifled a snicker, but could not hide his smirk, "did I frighten you?"

Wash Buckler looked at him and then back at the puddle beneath his tentacles. Back and forth, back and forth, until...

"**TRAITOR**!"

Before he could charge a stone hilt crashed down upon his skull and the Mermasquid was knocked out instantly.

Blast Zone opened his eyes. He breathed out a sigh. "Thank you Night..." his words ebbed away. "You're not Night Shift."

"The mighty Doom Stone saves the day again! Huzzah! Er, I-I mean...I was waiting for the right time to whack him like a mole! Hahah!" He tilted his head a little. "That IS how you say it, right? 'Cause I don't wanna sound weird. Did I sound weird?"

Blast Zone wasn't exactly listening. He just stared, eyes stuck on the unconscious Mermasquid. Two conversations went off like bombs in his head,

_Is that it?_

_Good._

_No, not good. We just knocked out our leader; that's not in protocol._

_Who cares if its not in protocol?! He was going to turn Magna into scrapmetal!_

_But he's our leader_—_he's Wash Buckler!_

_He could've been Master Eon for all I care! Surprisingly, we haven't had any fatalities in this team yet; I didn't want to be the first one._

_Magna Charge deserved the punishment. He lied to all of us._

_As much as I'd like to think so, we're not perfect. Well, they're not perfect._

Doom Stone wiped the flat of his face, where his nose would've been if he had one. It was a bad habit, really. He'd seen some of the Swappers do it so many times that the action just stuck. His chest pushed out. "Yep, that was a move he taught me. Personally. Oh, Night Shift? I think he went back inside the dorm."

_We should've just let him have what was coming!_

_And what would that make us?_

_Heroes!_

_No, murderers! Monsters! This team stays together; we'll always stay together. Forever._

_You act as if death is evitable, as if its something we can stop. I hope you understand how flawed your logic is. We AREN'T going to stick together. _

"Hey, BZ? You okay? Helllooo?"

Blast Zone was brought back to reality by a stone hand waving in front of his face. He shook his head, an attempt to clear his mind. Why was he thinking of such things? Why was he arguing with _himself_? He didn't do stuff like that! That's what—

"Wait, wait!" His attention was soon diverted by the sound of shrieky yips. Whirling around, the SWAP Force faced a little, ginger-furred fox, chest heaving. Panting, he looked as if he was about to collapse, as if he was on the verge of death itself. His eyes trailed down to Wash Buckler and, with a gasp, he clasped a paw to where his heart was. "Oh, w-why, y-you buffoons! Have you no idea what you've just done? Have you no idea of what's to come?! You've doomed us all! Every single one of—" A savage snarl from across the way silenced him, making the fox flinch.

The Cardmaster screamed. "You stole my mother from me, you stole my father, and now you've stolen MY FOX?!"

"Us?" Rubble Rouser snorted, the simple noise full of derision. "We didn't steal 'im! The little twerp ran away from you! Not surprisingly." He held out a rocky hand to his head and grumbled. "Ooh. I have had enough o' all this yellin' for one day; I'm startin' t'give myself a headache."

"You people just can't stop ruining my life! It's like it's just in your blood!" Aligning his eyes to Blast Zone's, he growled beneath his breath, claws clenched. "And I want to spill it..." His tongue swiped out and around.

Doom Stone snorted. "Heh. Jokes on you; Blast Zone can't bleed."

"Th-that's enough," the furnace knight pushed him aside, drifting forward. Doom Stone stuttered something, about to speak, but a fiery glare from Blast Zone made the Spinner turn away. The deputy's expressions were often difficult to decipher, but this one was clear. He focused his gaze onto The Cardmaster, returning the glare. "We didn't steal your fox. We didn't even want him here."

"I don't know about that..." Trap Shadow mumbled. Again. "I mean he cleans our clothes, gives us free food, he's fun to punch, and..." Mechanically, like that of an animatronic, Blast Zone swiveled his head towards the hunter. His flames intensified, bursting out from the vents in his chest, tendrils of faint blue mixing into them.

"...I'll keep my mouth shut from now on. Starting now. Starting _right_ now. Right now."

Blast Zone returned his attention back to The Cardmaster. "He came aboard the ship on his own; he did this willingly. He did this to you. We only cleaned up his wounds and that's that. You can keep him. He serves no purpose; he's useless to us." The furnace knight found himself pausing, waiting for Trap Shadow's snide reply, but none came.

"Wh-what? Don't give me to him! I've done so much for you! I'm even warning you about Skylands' doomsday! Right now! The end times! You owe me—big time!"

"See what you've done?" shrieked The Cardmaster. "You idiots have messed with his mind!"

Patches scratched at his nose. "He was always that banged up when we found 'im, cap'n..."

"Hey, hey, guess what? I've got a solution to your problem! If you want him so badly..." Whooping like wild, Grilla Drilla snatched the fox up and rushed forth. "Take him!" The ball of fluff was sent screaming, claws connecting onto one the wires spread from ship-to-ship. Blast Zone's jaw dropped. He wasn't entirely expecting that. But that worked too.

Stuck on a line, waves surging beneath him, Chester howled his lungs out. "AAAAAHHH! HELP! HEEEELLLLP!"

"Drills!" Rubble Rouser snapped.

"He wanted his fox!" Grilla Drilla shrugged.

Chester shrilled. "SKYLANDERS HELP! I DON'T WANNA GO BAAAACK!"

Rotclaw stumbled forward, nearly ramming into the rails. The Drillers eyed him. Blast Zone wasn't so sure about the Seadog anymore. "There's a better way o' handlin' this. If he doesn't want t'go, then he doesn't want t'go. Let's see who the pup wants to go with."

"Me, obviously!" The Cardmaster barked.

"No, it's going to be us!" Doom Stone put a hand to his chest. Blast Zone wasn't even sure if he knew what he was talking about. "He'll go to us; I know it."

The Cardmaster forced a grin. "Come on, Crook. We can work this out. You return all my stuff and I won't kill you!"

Stink Bomb whispered. "Psst, he's going to kill you..."

"Excuse you! I'm trying to talk to **MY** fox!"

"He's not your fox! Chester, if you know what's good for you, come back!"

Blast Zone didn't know why Stink Bomb was being so defensive, but he honestly didn't care. He was ready to get out of here. Chester, Crook, whoever, he could go get attacked by a Cloud Kraken and nothing would change. Blast Zone didn't feel anything when the fox shot one, last glance at him, fiendishly smiled, and padded forward. NOTHING would change.

However, he was a bit surprised when Chester stopped halfway. He got onto his feet, not even slipping on the wet wires. The fox rose a paw, slowly waved to The Cardmaster, and said one, single word: bye.

And he dived off.

In a split second, a huge, inky tentacle burst up from the waters. Before Chester could even fall into the seas, it had captured him, coiling around him, killing him. And yet he still smiled. It dragged him down into the depths below...and only bubbles appeared in its wake. Blast Zone couldn't believe his eyes—none of the Swappers could!

"Uhh, guys..." Breaking the silence, Doom Stone tapped the agape Rocketeer on the shoulder. "Things just got a little...dark."

Blast Zone swiveled around to find Wash Buckler, conscious, awake. Slumped over, panting, heaving, smiling.

Dark.

Like that of his own ink. Like that of the Kraken. Like that of the Darkness.

Blast Zone heard a voice growl in his mind, the same from before.

_Death is here._

Right on cue, a tentacle burst through the middle of the Esper. A volley of yelps split the air. Water arose from the depths, gushing onboard the ship.

_EVERYTHING will change._

* * *

Skylanders thought they had it hard. They thought their lives were just _so_ much of a struggle. "Defeating Kaos over and over can be such a drag," she'd heard. "It just feels like we're doing the same thing every year. Taking out the trash, beating up baddies. It's so tiring."

Tessa wanted to stuff the mouths of everyone who said that with dirty, old feathers.

No, no, nothing compared to the work of a Chieftess. NOTHING.

She had to go through countless scrolls and countless papercuts; her fingers were all calloused and stiff by night. She had to speak at every, single festival she went to. She had to listen to council members blab about drivel. She had to kiss the forehead of every baby she passed by!

Fighting Kaos annually sounded more like fun than torture! She loved bashing Trolls' heads in and she loved shooting arrows through Cyclopes! The adrenaline, the suspense. Action was where it was at! The Skylanders just didn't understand that. Especially the SWAP Force. Rowdy children. They always came to_ her_ to whine about their problems, which always sounded more like an exciting excerpt from an adventure novel. They were annoying, troublesome, loud...

...And she missed them. It was truly hard to admit that, but she did.

She missed flying with Boom Jet, high above the clouds. She missed all the hugs Fire Kraken gave her. She missed whacking Trap Shadow aside the head with her bow whenever he said something snide. She missed listening to Rattle Shake's stories. She even missed, obnoxious as it was, when Wash Buckler called her _dudette_!

Now, Tessa had seen a few Skylanders before on her travels outside Woodburrow, but the SWAP Force were the first Skylanders she'd ever met, the first she'd ever introduced herself to, the first she'd ever seen right in front of her! It was like a dream come true! No, not like—it was a dream come true! She sighed, remembering that very day. Being crushed under a dogpile of sixteen Swappers was starting to sound much more fun than having cramped fingers.

In the quarters of her room, sitting in a chair, Tessa lay her head upon a table covered in papers. Snoring.

For the first time in what seemed like a millennium, she was at peace...

...until something started to play with her hair.

Only a mumble formed from her lips. "Not now, Ms. Poppy. I don't need anymore flowers...in my hair."

"**SQQUAARK!**"

The sound went right through her ears. She jumped up from her slumber, eyes wide. "Aaaah, I didn't mean to..." Her words came to a stop when a beak nudged her face. "Oh, you goofball! Good morning to you to! I guess I must've fallen asleep writing again..." Whiskers cooed. The young Chieftess rubbed at the bird's feathery, fluffy chest. "Huh, what's that you got in your mouth there? Lemme see."

The big bird did as told, hinging his jaw, releasing a perfect piece of paper.

Tessa stared at it for a while, squinting, before she spoke again. "This is an old letter, bud. I already read this. The one about that week-long mission?"

Whiskers nudged her again.

"Fine, fine, fine. I know you miss them too."

――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――

_Dear Chieftess Tessa,_

_This has been quite the eventful evening. The sights around here are gorgeous, and there's so many interesting people to study! I know, you said its rude to stare, but how can I not? I've already scanned thirty! It was so much to take in Freeze Blade said I started to overheat. No need to fret though; a little...chillaxing with my...bros helped my temporary ailment. Did I say that right? I think this lingo might be wrong. If it is, please do ignore that. I have been trying to fit in, so to speak. My fellows' terminology is growing larger every day, it appears. I can hardly understand any of them anymore. I am starting to understand how Night Shift feels, left behind in the modern age. I am having fun, but the others don't seem to be. By others, I mean...you know who. But I guess boys shall be boys. This has become too much of the norm, I hardly don't even react to it anymore. I can handle it, I'm sure. Just right after I've finished recording the rest of my data on the emotion called...rage. Good thing I have two subjects presenting that right in front of me! But enough about me, how've you been, Chieftess Tessa?_

_Sincerely__, _

_ Magna Charge, the Ultron_

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Tessa exhaled through her nose. "Chieftess Tessa..." she repeated. That still sounded funny to her. She hated it whenever the Swappers said it; she'd rather them just call her like how they call themselves. No one ever said Leader Wash Buckler or Deputy Blast Zone. A few of them had learned that, but Magna Charge _always _used her title. She could never tell if he was being snarky or side; his voice was so plain and mechanical! At least she could shove Spy Rise whenever he talked about it. The name hadn't settled with her, and probably never would. "Why not just call me _Dudette_ Tessa while they're at it, right Whiskers?"

He put his head up against the side of Tessa's face, nuzzling it.

"What do you mean _you know you love it_? Love being Chieftess? I mean sure it's a great opportunity and all but..." Her paw reached out to scratch the underside of Whiskers' beak. "I never expected to be in this spot, up on this...th-this grand pedestal. Y'know like one of the greats! Being Chieftess is..." She shook her head, furs fluffing up. "Nevermind. Oh, hey, look!" the new Chieftess waved a wrinkled, tanned paper at the bird. "Here's my reply!"

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_Dear Maggie,_

_I'm so sorry to hear that! These things usually bring people together rather than split them apart! How are they doing now? Better yet, don't tell me_—_let's focus on the positive! How's Trap? How's Shifty? How's Stinks? How's Jet? How's everyone else?! No fights between them, I hope. Who am I kidding? You guys are at each others' throats everyday! Make sure no one gets too out of control; you're good with stuff like that. Did Free Ranger like the chickenseed I sent? I hope it lasted through the trip over; Whiskers can get a little peckish on long flights. Heh-heh, peckish? You gotta admit that was funny! Or at least clever? I'll give you a lesson about wordplay when you get back. _

_Me? Oh, I'm doing...leader-y stuff. Chieftess things. Nothing too interesting. I'm helping out Ms. Poppy with her flowers; she looked a little lost without Stinks and Drills. I mean, I don't know much about flowers other than they're pretty and smell good, but a Chieftess must help her subjects in time of need. Rufus doesn't want me dirtying my paws, though. He says it's uncivilized. Sounds a bit like someone else, huh?_

_XOXO, Tessa_

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_Dear Chieftess Tessa, _

_Maggie? You're doing that to agitate me, aren't you? Try harder; I am an Ultron, it'll take more to get under my skin. Or would that be exterior? We're the SWAP Force; we get split up all the time! (Oh, how I do love my new grasp on comedy!) No wordplay lessons needed, but thanks for the offer. The squabbling has stopped(and look at this alliteration! Brilliant!). It was a long walk to the sleeping inn, full of bickering and pushing and shoving. It tired us out. Well, not us, them. I'm fine; that was a fun hike! Despite having Fire Kraken trying to sleep on me. Fiery saliva is not exactly easy to get out. Don't worry, Free Ranger ate the bird feed as soon as he got it. He wants more, and fast! Please, Tessa; he won't stop begging me. Everyone's okay. For these few seconds. __Wash Buckler is singing ditties right now; he has gone back to his completely cheery, clueless self again, pink as can be. Singing...in the middle of the night. Not surprisingly. _

_He must be starting to like it here...or he just might be distracted by the tiny, baby pigeon that followed Stink Bomb in. It is kind of cute. Spy Rise is terrified of it. Did you send a spy over? You and your birds win this time, foxgirl. Speaking of Stink Bomb, he and Trap Shadow have literally just passed out. Not on a bed, not on a couch, but on the floor. Together, at the exact same time. It is understandable, as they, after an hour of barking insults, stuffed their faces with every, single snack they could find. They acted like a bunch of fuzzy Slobber Tooths! Teeth? Teeth makes more sense. Good thing we packed up enough food to feed all eight Elder Elementals. Oh, and there goes Fire Kraken, he just crashed out onto both of them. Poor thing. He couldn't even stand up on his feet. And Freeze Blade, he just joined the pile...willingly! No, it is not a pile, it is more of a mess. Night Shift has been reading newspapers all-day. I do not think he will choose to sleep tonight. Everyone looks at peace for once. I am sure we'll be fiii..._

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Only scribbles signaled the end of the letter. Nonsensical, it was drawn all the way down to the bottom of the paper. Tessa remembered nearly losing her mind over that. Such a thing had never happened before. Magna Charge was always perfect with his handwriting. Not a single splotch, not a single slash, nothing! One-hundred percent perfection. Seeing a messy drawl was quite the scare. But he was a robot; surely his programming was bound to mess up once in a while. Either way, she had gotten right to writing not a moment too soon.

――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――

_Dear Magnetbutt,_

_What was that all about? You alright? You kinda...zoned out...on paper. Anyway, glad to hear that everyone's stopped their antics. You guys need to relax for once in a while. Fiery saliva? His spit can burn through things? The more you know. Glad to hear Free Ranger loved it! Hang in there, Maggie; I'll be sure to send a whole sack of it over soon! Don't be so sure, Maggie. I told him not to, but I think Wash Buckler might've snuck in a bottle of beer. Make sure to slap it out of his hands for me! Either that or record the whole thing the next time it happens. I need a good laugh. Aww, pigeon! Aaaaw, baby pigeon! Not my doing, dude. I hang out with the big birds. Haha, I bet those two looked like bloated elephant seals! Don't tell me they ate everything already! So its a sleeping dogpile? You know what they say Magna; let sleeping dogs lie. See, I can be funny too. I wish I could be in the sleeping dogpile. After taking Whiskers and the others for flights, beating up the nasty weeds in Ms. Poppy's garden, listening to Rufus about his own problems, and writing peace treaties, I could use a good laugh. As you expect, I'm really tired out. __Good night, Magna. It's night over there, right? Here's to hoping no one ends up sleeping under Stink Bomb!_

_XOXO, Tessa_

――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――

_Dear Birdfreak, _

_Magnetbutt? I just woke up after an abrupt shutdown and this is the first thing I see? It it too early for this, Tessa. I know you can do better than that. I don't have buttocks...not at the moment anyway. That was a swapping joke. Laugh at it for me. I much prefer Magnethead, if you have to give me a name Almighty Chieftess Tessa. It's what everyone called me before at the school, anyway. Things have been tame over here...considering that everyone is still asleep. Been talking to Night Shift for a bit, at least until he falls under the curse of sleep. His dark comedy is...quite amusing. He is barely hanging onto a thread; he knocks out every now and then. Oh, and he uttered a grumble. Not surprisingly. Something on the verge of say hi to Tessa for me. Or maybe it was give apple pie to me please. Or something along the lines of punching Freeze Blade._

_No, thankfully no one slept beneath Stink Bomb, but that does not mean rude awakenings are not afoot. You have Whiskers, we have Stink Bomb. You have a cry, we have a...wake-up call. It's a practice we've been doing since the Glory Days. Don't ask, it was Wash Buckler's idea. I'm sure you remember what happened that last camping trip? Stink Bomb still can't apologize enough for that. Every time we bring it up he gets all teary-eyed. Green hair looked good on you, in my opinion. Funny thing is he doesn't care whenever he does it around us. Something about being a gentleman. Trap Shadow uses it against him whenever he can. And that usually lands him somewhere he definitely doesn't want to be: downwind. Green does not look good on him, however. Nor does it on me. I think I'll have to make a break for it before the floodgates are opened._

_I'll be sure to film Wash Buckler if your theory proves true. Get some sleep, Tessa. You don't have to stay up and write these letters. Growing organic beings need their sleep. _

_Sincerely_—

――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――――

Tessa's ears sprang up. Someone was knocking at her door. The letters dropped from her paws. Not the knock of a Swapper. That usually sounded like a bunch of Boghogs ramming into the door, as an angry Night Shift was always right on their tails. But most of the time it had some sort of rhythm, especially to that of an Earth pop song. This one sounded WAY too gentle. "Who is it?"

"Why, Rufus, of course."

Tessa hesitated. "If only I had earplugs..." she murmured under her breath. It wasn't that she didn't _like_ Rufus—he used to be her babysitter when her parents were away—it was just that...he talked a bit _too_ much. She could sit through all the yapping from arguing Swappers, but she wanted to rip her ears off whenever Rufus blabbed about...completely unimportant things! But he was the town crier and she needed him. Rufus kept everything in order, he kept the town together; he was like Woodburrow's glue. "C-come in!"

Rufus did as told, just a millisecond after the young Chieftess finished her sentence, maybe even less. He didn't just come in; no, he_ strolled_ in, one hand behind his back, the other holding a silver platter up high, covered with an equally shiny lid. Tessa had never been so happy to see fancy food. Chieftess food was different from normal food. It was always something so spectacular, something to take her breath away. Tender steaks trimmed and cut to perfection, seasoned with spices from every letter in the alphabet, bedazzled by tangy peppers. Salads made of rich, mixed greens, shredded cheese, tomatoes, and red onions sprinkled all over every leaf of lettuce. Something overwhelming. All of that was too much for her. She'd much rather share the pizza pockets, cheese balls, half-baked ice cream, and ramen noodles with the Swappers. Simple snacks. Whenever she brought them out of HQ for a picnic, they exchanged their foods. Tessa was more than welcome to give them all the Mudhollow mango-chile salmon and shrimp scampi they wanted. But she wasn't afraid to fight Fire Kraken over the molten chocolate cake, though.

Tessa sniffed. Once, twice, and thrice. She tilted her head at the platter. Some sort of pastry? Lemony? With a hint of cinnamon? Whatever it was, it smelled delicious! The foxgirl couldn't help but stick her tongue out and drool. She was starving! "What's that, Rufus? A strudel?"

He laughed. "You're thinking too little. A little strudel doesn't suffice for a Chieftess."

"Huh?" This smelt too sweet for a salmon or steak. "What is it?"

Rufus, slowly, placed the platter onto the table, covering up the letters. Before she could open her mouth to yelp, the lid was lifted off the dish, revealing its precious cargo.

A pie. An apple pie.

Cinnamon-covered, oozing with filling, sugar-powdered, frosting-drizzled, embellished by chopped pecans, topped off by a dollop of cream. Jaws dropped, its scent had shot right up her nostrils. She sighed, a breath of relief. "You really weren't kidding about thinking small, Rufus. I-I underestimated you. Th-this is real apple pie?"

"Yes, real apple pie."

"_Real_ apple pie?"

"Real apple..." His words slowed. "...pie?"

Giggling, Tessa had her paws stuck into the pastry, shoveling up its sweet filling. She licked her fingers, one-by-one.

"Tessa!"

She stopped in mid-lick, nearly jumping out of her skin. Turning around, looking left and right, the Chieftess squeaked. "Who? What? Where?!" Rufus cleared his throat. As she stared at her paws, realization slowly dawned on her. She gave a sheepish snicker. "Oh, sorry, I just...sorta got carried away. Oopsies."

"You seem awfully stressed about something, Tessa," Rufus squinted an eye, inquisitively. "Is it about the speech? It's only a few lines, I assure you. You'll do fine, you'll be fine. It's just one word after the other. That sounds simple enough, right? If you wish, Chieftess, I can-"

"No, no, no," Tessa hastily interrupted. "It's not that, it's...it's..." A sigh cut into her words. "It's just complicated, you know? I can't explain it..."

"Hmm. Complicated? I see. This must run deeper than the celebration. Are you feeling alright? Are you sick, Tessa? Shall I inform the townsfolk? Do you want me to do the speech? Are you running a fever? You look tired. I can leave if you want me to. Food poisoning? Common cold? Do you have a headache?"

"Heh, to be honest, I may be starting to get one," Tessa scratched at an ear. As Rubble Rouser would say, Rufus could be as chatty as a chipmunk. "But I'm fine; really! All this writing just takes a lot out of me. You know, being Chieftess is hardwork, hehah!" She gave a laugh like that of a cheery, cartoon character. Utterly forced.

Rufus furrowed his brows. He didn't believe it.

Dragonfeathers.

"Is this about..." Fixating his glasses, studiously, he smirked a little. "...the SWAP Force?"

"**WHERE?!**" Tessa's ears bounced up in alarm. Frightened by the sudden shout, Rufus jumped. Even the mere mentioning of the name got the new Chieftess in a flurry! After looking around expectantly, her ears flopped back down and her expression went flat. "Ohhh, okay, okay, you got me good, Rufus. Truth is, I kinda sorta, just a teeny, tiny little bit, miss those guys. They can handle themselves, they're Skylanders, I know, I know..." A weary sigh escaped her lips. She sat back in her chair, gazing up at the ceiling, as if for answers. "It usually doesn't take this long, Rufus. I thought they'd catch him in like...two days or so. But I guess that wouldn't be much of a trek, huh?"

"Maybe this villain is good at hiding?"

"Nah," Tessa shook her head. "I don't think so. I think Trap Shadow and Stink Bomb would've found the fleabag by now. Rattle Shake would've located him days ago, too; he's like a bloodhound."

"Maybe this villain is strong? Stronger than them?"

"Hah! Nothing's stronger than a Skylander. I'd like to see that dumb mutt try to take over the world. He won't get very far. A Giant could just fall on his stupid ship and he'd be done for! The SWAP Force can take him; they've done it before. Heck, even the Mabu Defense Force could take him! The _kits_ could take him!"

"He proclaims he's a Portal Master..."

"A Portal Master that runs around screaming barenaked?" Tessa waved, airily and loftily. "Pssh! Don't make me laugh, Rufus. He's a drunkard, a lunatic. I'm sure he's just bluffing."

"Lunatic is correct, Tessa. This dog is no joke. Hugo and I have read many of his treacherous tales. He's slain all who's gotten in his way, even his own men! There's something...something not right in his head. He's not like the regular, smelly, everyday pirate. There is something terribly, terribly wrong with him. Master Eon knew of this; that's exactly why he was forbidden from becoming a Skylander. On that day, something just went wrong. Hugo said he just...snapped. He loathes Skylanders, all of them, and he won't rest until they're all dead! Burned alive! Stabbed! Tortured! It's all a cat-and-mouse game with him..."

"S-so...so what...I mean..." Her heart sank like a rock. She hadn't thought of it that way. She never would've thought of it that way! Dragonfeathers! Rufus was right! She didn't know what to say, or how to say it. That had hit her, hard. In an instant, as if on impulse, Tessa crammed a pawful of pie into her mouth. "I'm wromied. I'm relly, relly wrormied! Wromied smk!" Why did he have to tell her that?! Oh gods! "Thym mught bm diph or...or..." Now, munching, chewing, chomping, like an animal, Tessa was decimating the poor pastry with only her paws. "I domtp mo mwhat'llm hamphem tru tphm!"

As expected, Rufus gave a grimace. "Slow down, you'll get hiccups. Mouth closed," he reinforced, "you might choke. Nobody wants a dead Chieftess, especially one of young blood. You're eating almost as messily as those Swappers!"

Tessa swallowed and wiped her lips. "Sorry, sor-sorry, I'm just really hungry...and really stressed out!" Anxious as ever, she ruffled her hair, rambling. "This is bad, really, really bad! Really, really, really bad! They could be in trouble! You shouldn't tell me things like that; I'm freaking out! We should be preparing an attack, right now! Rufus, we-"

"Calm down, calm down," Rufus laid a tentative paw on her shoulder, "I'm sure they're all fine. Truly I do."

Tessa opened her mouth, about to protest, but soon stopped herself with a huff. "I-I guess you're right. I have to calm down. Got a little carried away there, hehe..." She settled down, closed her eyes, and exhaled...only to leap up from her seat in barely even a second. "Sound the alarm, Rufus! Call out the archers! Get me Avril! It's Seadog Stomping Day! We've got to go save them!" She beckoned to her feathered companion. "Whiskers! Let's go! We have to kick those canines into next year! No one messes with Skylands on my watch!"

Tessa was a dancing whirlwind, exploding with vigor, full of enthusiasm. Whiskers echoed her energy, squawking and screeching. To say the least, the two were very, very close.

Rufus, however, didn't join their wild wardance. "Wa-wait! Tessa! You can't just leave!"

"Watch me!" Hardheaded and stubborn. Like always. This Chieftess was proving to be a real handful around Woodburrow.

"B-b-but..." Rufus never gave up though, even when he really, really wanted to. Uncharacteristically, like the fierce puma he was supposed to be, Rufus grabbed the Chieftess by her arm. "Tessa, listen! You don't understand! This is important! Life-threatening! I cannot have you running wily-nily into battle! I cannot have you running wily-nily into battle ALONE! Stay here! We need you here! You're the Chieftess!"

"Then you can stay here and fill in while I'm gone," Tessa, roughly, snatched her arm out his grasp. "I've got a Seadog to-

"**CRRRK-SRRKRE! ZZZ-SPLLSH!**"

"My word!" Cringing, Rufus covered his ears. "That sounds absolutely dreadful!"

Tessa's ear twitched. Static? _Twitch._ Water? _Twitch twitch._

...Swappers?

In that second of silence, her went alight with joy, with hope, as a gasp escaped her. On the table, a peculiar device bounced up and down, jittering like a mechanical, jumping bean. "The talkie, it's coming from the walkie-talkie..." She grinned like a giddy gremlin. "Yes! Yes, yes, yes, yes, YES! The SWAP Force! It's them! It's gotta be them!"

Hastily and hurriedly, she held the device up to an ear. "Guys, guys! It's me! Tessa! Are you alright? Where are you? Are you at the Mainland? Is everyone okay? Have you caught The Cardmaster?"

Her reply was only met with the crackling of static and the rushing of waves.

"Are you there?" she repeated. "Hello? Skylanders? Guys? Guys?!" Their connection was lost into an abyss of silence, no static, no crackling. Nothing. The dejected Chieftess slowly placed the talkie back onto the table.

"Well?"

Tessa's ears flopped, like two, dying flowers. She, frowning, stared up at Rufus with big eyes. "Well, I guess that was an accident..." Her head fell into her hands. Not wanting Rufus to worry, she forced out a fake smile. "I-I think I lost connection with them."

* * *

_I'm working on a new fic at the moment, so expect for Trek to take a little hiatus. What? I think it's __nigh time for me to do more things. You'll find out soon enough, friends. Now, go on and be **superior in all areas**. Hint-hint-wink-wink-nudge-nudge._


	21. Tin Gods

_Front-fanged, back-fanged, armed to the teeth. Their powerful jaws were full of thin and thick blades, black teeth to match their black fur. Froth lapped at their lips, bloodied, red. Rabid? Perhaps. They were wild animals, they did not care. Medicine, nor magic, could not cure their madness. Grass, twigs, leaves, sticks, and even stones were all crushed underneath their lethal claws and tough pads like bugs under a shoe. Hearts leaping, pounding, and drumming against their furry chests, they were carried onwards by the garbled, warbled word of the Alpha Male._

_His fur was like the patches of night itself! A hulking beast, he was! Muscles defined, teeth sharp, eyes that bore into any poor soul he glanced at. There was no questioning of his orders, for everyone was after the same prize._

_Meat._

_Fresh, bloody, juicy meat._

_Tons of tongues lolled in their carrier's mouth at the thought. Staying with the Alpha, such a strong beast, would prove for the best results, for their survival._

_The Alpha went rigid, still as a statue. His tail slowly swished for side to side. Something had caught his attention, something had captivated him. The others bobbed their heads, looking around in interest, chuffing. The Alpha Male uttered a grunt, causing his followers to quiet. He needed silence; even a mad beast couldn't focus in absolute noise._

_Schuff! He shoved his entire snout into the soil, sniffing, snuffing. Being tentative was not in the nature of a monster. He opened up his nostrils, big and wide, letting every scent and every smell sink in; he relished every one._

_Insects, Dragonbunnies, Chompies..._

_His eyes closed._

_Sheeeeep._

_A deep, gurgly rumble brewed in his fleshy throat. He lifted his huge head, shook it, tossed it about, and sneezed, to clear his nostrils of unwanted odors. Whatever was left of his mind was on the prize. His thin tail rose once again, like a dark flag. It didn't flick. Follow me._

_They'd found food! They'd found meat! His followers gave happy hollers, jumping up, down, and all around. Alpha couldn't help but join in; his howl the loudest of all, straight from his cold heart and out from his murderous maw. They all came to a stop when Alpha did, and as soon as he stomped those big claws of his, they were on the move._

_Ready for their fill. Ready for the mayhem._

_The Darkness had arrived._

* * *

Architeuthis. Giant squid. That was what it was, that was all it was. Not a myth, not a legend.

_There is no such thing as a Cloud Kraken,_ his mind kept telling himself.

The attack was unexpected, unpredicted...

Unreal.

It had sent him flying. Knocked the wind out from his lungs. Slammed him into the floor. Rammed him.

Water collected underneath the dry, cracked pads of his paws, seeped into his mouth, and went into his nostrils. His claws dug into the deck as the ship lurched. He scrunched up into a ball, as feet kicked him, bodies fell over him. Their weight held him down, pinned him. Bubbles escaped from the openings of his clenched teeth.

_It was just an old wives' tale._ _Told to scare pups into sleep, told by drunken sailors in bars, told by hagglers trying to trick passerbys. _

His cape flew over his face, engulfing the world in an inky blackness. The water rose. It was like he was drowning, falling into a deep abyss, slowly succumbing to fate.

_It was fake. Fake, false, fiction._

Even though they were clogged, blood rushing, the atrocious shrieks rang right in his ears. He couldn't describe it; he couldn't fathom it—he wouldn't fathom it. None of this was the truth! He was just imagining this! There was no way there was a Cloud Kraken, attacking his ship, ruining his opportunity!

"_Get off of him, meat'eads!" _a breathy voice shrilled. The Cardmaster could barely hear it. Was that Patches? That had to be Patches. Yes, yes, he was all dreaming. Just having a nightmare, just a fantasy. Surely Vathek was toying with him, only having a good laugh. Yes, yes, that had to be! In no time, The Cardmaster wake up and find himself in the comfort of his room, yelling at his deputy for disturbing his slumber. Surely! "You're_ crushin' 'im!"_

He felt the weight being lifted off of him. No, _ripped_ off of him. Patches was whimpering; that was loud and clear. The Cardmaster, raised out of the pile, landed himself in Patches' arms. At that very moment, his eyes snapped open, bright and wide. He shoved him in the chest, slinking away; he didn't need any help. Falling onto all fours, the Seadog arched up his back and hacked out salty water, gagging. His ears shut themselves off when Patches began to speak. Or squeak, rather.

"The ship, cap'n! The-there's a great, big 'ole in it! I-I think we're sinkin'_—_I think we're goin' down, sir!"

Drivel. Pointless drivel. He knew what had happened, he _knew_ they were sinking. Did he take him for an idiot? A fool? The Cardmaster snorted and then spat, raising back to his feet and...

...wait a minute.

His eyes bugged out of their sockets. He whipped around, meeting Patches with a snarl like no other. "WHAT?!"

Grabbed by his baggy shirt, lifted up into the air, Patches flopped like a fish in slippery hands. Fear-stricken, the Seadog stuttered. "It-it's true!" he nodded so much it looked as if his head would fly right off. "Ca-can't you feel it? Ca-can't you see it?"

The Cardmaster peered out to the side. His heart dropped.

It was a crater. Huge, gaping crater. Those unfortunate enough to fall in thrashed around with their wet paws. Some were lucky and they got lifted out by their cullies. Others were smart and they scrabbled out in an instance. Many...many were dragged down into the depths below, without a scream, without a gasp. Just a face of horror. Absolute horror.

An archer, the color draining from him, gazed down at cavity. Brave, but stupid. His fur prickled, his breathing halted, his bow lowered. The single arrow pointed down into the dark abyss, shivering and shaking as so did its handler. "Cap...captain..." he whispered, voice quavering. "I-I think I see..."

Lightning struck right overhead, alighting the sky with a blinding light. Following its thunder, on cue, an entire swarm of gargoyles exploded out from the Esper, their gray shapes like swirling, billowing storm. They flapped and fluttered, screeching.

Grimmler, with a humongous gasp, clambered his way onto the deck. He shrieked, water spraying his nostrils. Gurr popped up not a moment later, holding her dead mink in her maw. Shivering, she looked like a wet cat. Tons of little, gray heads followed and tons of little, gray bodies leaped up and out, buffeting their leaders with wet wings.

"Stoooopids!" the gargoyle king fluttered his own wings. It was a fruitless attempt, as he soon found himself hopping up and down with no avail. "Help Grimmler, help your king! _Krrreeewk_!" His eyes soon met with The Cardmaster. He shared no words.

Throwing the soaked animal over her neck, Gurr jumped right onto her mate's wrinkled back, kicked off, and flew just like elegance itself.

Grimmler, mustering up his courage, somehow managed to stand upon the rails. "Dumb mate, notta good mate," he muttered to himself.

"Wait! Where are you going?!" The Cardmaster howled. "You're all mine_—_I own you!"

''Drown down there! We 'scape for our lives! Is dark, no sun, we fly now!'' And with that, Grimmler attempted to launch himself into the sky. Miraculously, he took flight, wings beating those on an insect...until he plummeted into the water with a huge splash. In fact, plenty of gargoyles were drowning, as tentacles swiped them all out of the air. Dropping like flies.

The Cardmaster slapped a paw to his face. Perfect. Maybe they could've been of assistance, held the Kraken off for a bit while he and his crew escaped. That just wasn't in the stars for the Esper. How did this even happen? Where'd his forcefield go?! It shoud've protected them from this! From something like this ever happening! The Esper was an oldtimey, _wooden_ ship; without some sort of magical protection, she was absolutely vulnerable! And with that giant, gaping hole, she would surely sink! The Kraken was toying her, shaking her, like a child would to a rubber duck in a bathtub. As they backed away, slipping on risen seawater, Seadogs were forced to the floor, into each other, and some even fell over the rails. The Cardmaster pressed his hands to his head. He didn't understand. Why was it attacking them? Why not the Skylanders? The Esper didn't deserve this_, _the Seadogs didn't deserve this...

His eyes trailed over to the Malicious Mongrel, to the Skylanders.

To Rotclaw, who wore a face of solemn, a mask of stone.

As the anger built inside him, as the rage surged through his body, The Cardmaster let out a bellow...

And something bellowed back.

Deep below the waters. Rumbling. Low, droning.

The Cardmaster yelled. "Oh, shut up!"

"**SKREEEE!**" In response, a tentacle smashed onto the Esper before coiling itself around the ship. Another tentacle burst out from the water and did the exact same thing to the Malicious Mongrel. The two ships were then forced together, clashing against each other.

And something pushed them away. Not the Kraken.

The Cardmaster peered over the rails...and a colossal anchor nearly took his head off.

"**HAIL TO THE WHALE!**"

Just like that, the Giant burst out from the waters, massive maw open, eyes narrowed. He spun his anchor around, lassoing the air. With a roar, he crashed back down into the ocean, into the Kraken.

A whirlpool started.

* * *

"You did this to him! YOU LIED TO US!"

"I thought that was made obvious already."

They'd gotten a surprise visitor just after...the big announcement. And Fire Kraken wasn't exactly sure if he wanted him here. Not right now, not at this moment. It just had to be him, didn't it? It couldn't have been someone easy to approach, someone who'd understand.

It just had to be Night Shift.

Fire Kraken was watching the whole thing unveil, holding on tight to his baton as if it were his only hope. His entire skeleton shivered. Why did it have to be Night Shift? Why not Hoot Loop? Why not Doom Stone?

"Fighting is not the answer!" Fire Kraken would shout out from time to time. He knew he was wasting his breath, he knew it wouldn't matter. Night Shift wasn't taking this lightly. Fire Kraken jumped at the sound of his snarls.

"What? Were you and Magna Charge in cahoots or something? Is that what you were doing?!"

"I told you already," Rattle Shake spoke with ease, as if he weren't afraid of the horrors that could unfold. Unafraid of Night Shift. "I did not know about this issue, not until last night, when I found Stink Bomb tending to his wounds," He stood tall, chest puffed, tongue flicking, arms crossed.

The vampire snorted. "And I am supposed to believe you now? After you lied to everyone?!"

"I did what I had to. You all wouldn't have been able to take it. I do what I have to protect my family."

"You did what you had to protect **yourself**!"

Rattle Shake closed his eyes and breathed out. "Sometimes the truth hurts. I can see that you are hurting."

"Sometimes? Want to know what hurts all the time? My fist shoved all the way up your—"

"ALRIGHT. We get it, you've got this freaky, weird obsession with Freeze Blade! That's enough! That's the end of it!" Boom Jet was acting like a roadblock for the two, the one standing in between their battle. His arms were outstretched, placed on their chests. He'd been like that for a while. Fire Kraken was surprised he didn't just say '_screw this_' and walk off. Usually the skysurfer would be stuffing his mouth with popcorn at a time like this, standing by and watching. Not today, apparently. Quite an admirable feat, interrupting the Undead and their animosity. Night Shift didn't even make note of what Boom Jet said. Rattle Shake was the only one who had his attention.

"I am going to tell you once more, for the last time. Ssslowly," the snakeslinger said, "I did not know about this issue, not until last night, when I found Stink Bomb tending to his wounds."

Night Shift's ears raised. "Stink Bomb knew about this, too?!"

Boom Jet heaved out a sigh. "Can we not? Can we not do this right now? You're starting to scare Kraken."

Starting? He had been terrified out of his wits since the beginning! Since a misty, blue bat attack Rattle Shake's face out of nowhere! Fire Kraken had to pry him off...and the glare he gave the dragon made his tail tuck in between his legs. Even when he was tinier than him, even when he was a fuzzy as a stuffed animal, Night Shift was absolutely haunting. Nothing would ever change that. Fire Kraken wished with all his heart that the others would get back inside soon. Boom Jet's eyes, though behind black glass, bore right into him. He was begging him, begging for him to do something. Fire Kraken couldn't! No, never! Yes, Boom Jet needed backup...one that his partner, for once, was afraid of providing. Take the egg from a Fire Viper? That sounded like a cool idea. Hide Stink Bomb's blanket from him? The outcome would be hilarious! Face off with Night Shift?

A death wish.

Fire Kraken wasn't quite ready to die yet. There was so much more to do! Like not being pummeled to bits by an old vampire! His grip on his staff tightened. How was he going to get out of this one? How were _they_ going to get out of this one?

He felt bad. He felt really, really bad. Like how he felt that one time when he snuck into Spy Rise's room and accidentally broke one of his inventions, a surveillance drone. His claws had snapped off one of its wings. It wasn't much of a big deal...until he tried to attach the piece back on. Instant collapse. Panicked, Fire Kraken tried all he could to put it back together. Glue, peanut butter, honey, gum, lots of duct tape, his own saliva. Everything only made it worse. Realizing that he couldn't do anything to fix the drone, the dragon became a nervous wreck. And having Rubble Rouser catch him snooping about in an attempt to hide it inside a vase didn't make him feel any better. As soon as Spy Rise returned, it became a game of _Stall the Spyder _all until all the guilt got to Fire Kraken, and he crumbled and broke down into hot tears. Spy Rise had forgiven him, but couldn't hide the fact he was heated, seeing as he had to speak through his teeth and keep his legs from quavering with rage. Even though he acted like he wasn't upset, Fire Kraken really knew he was. And that was what stung him the most.

Guilt was the worst feeling ever. It was like having a bad stomachache that kept getting worse, and worse, and worse, always reminding him that he shouldn't have done that, nagging about how awful he was. He couldn't stifle the whimpers escaping from his clenched teeth. How was he going to put an end to this when he was afraid of even putting one foot forward? He soon found himself having an argument inside his head.

_Should I...hug him? Love can break anything!_

_No, no, no, I'll just end up with a broken heart...and tons of broken bones. _

_Then what if I distract him...with a hug?_

He stamped a foot down.

_Garshdarnit Fire Kraken! You can't just go around hugging everything that moves! Hugs can't heal everything!_

But then what was he supposed to do?! Alert the others? Wrestle Rattle Shake himself? Worriedly, he began to gnaw on his red nails. Bad habit, one that Spy Rise hated. The Spyder always snapped at him whenever he did it around his personal space. Sometimes he didn't even realize he was doing_—_

His tail perked up.

Night Shift was easily annoyed! Just like Spy Rise!

His tail drooped.

...but when in battle, everything just seemed to go mute for the vampire. Blabber was blocked out and talking was trampled. He went into this trance, a frenzy of fury, an unstoppable rampage. His eyes were only set on his prize_—_absolutely_ only_ set on his prize. The prize? The goal? Maybe smashing a skull. Knocking out some teeth. Breaking a nose. To put it simply, injuring the opponent in the most abhorrent way possible. Last time Magna Charge tried to get some answers out of him for a journal entry, he had his eye pop out, his jaw fall off, and his head crushed. Horribly mangled. Paralyzed from shock, he barely even acted as if he were hurt and managed to put himself back together, even while blind. But that image...that horrible image would be forever stuck in Fire Kraken's mind. Whenever he thought of interjecting a fight with Night Shift, that would always be there. It was here to stay.

His attention was brought back to the two when Night Shift rumbled. "I know who you are, Rattle Shake. You're a snake. You're a liar, a cheat. Self-indulged, scheming. You only think about yourself."

"If I was what you are describing I would not be apart of this team. You cannot break me, Night Shift, so stop wasting your time. We should be focusing on Freeze Blade."

"Really? Do you honestly believe that?" Night Shift smirked a little and snorted. "You wouldn't even be apart of this team if Master Eon hadn't decided to go out searching for you. He found you living in a run-down hobble, drunk off your tail, surrounded by rats you'd forgotten to catch, beer bottles you forgot to throw away, vomit you didn't clean up, wasting your life away and plucking the strings on your silly guitar. You'd forgotten about everything. Including the very people you were supposed the save!"

"How would you even know?" Rattle Shake's voice grew icy. His tail began to quiver; he was getting mad. Fire Kraken gulped. "You were recruited after me. Wave Two, I believe Spy Rise called it. Half of that isn't even true; whoever told you that is the liar, the cheat, I am not."

"Does not mean I wouldn't know. I have my connections. You'd be surprised how many things slip out of Wash Buckler when he's had one too many sips of that Seadog grog. Talks a lot about everyone, about you. About how you turned your tail on everyone who looked up to you, how you stole from others, how you tricked and bribed and did anything and everything just for the good of yourself. Be honest, you only came because you heard they'd be fame and fortune, not because you wished to save Skylands. You could've cared less about it."

"I did this to redeem myself!" Rattle Shake slapped himself in the chest. "I did this to restore my honor! I did this for the people who believed in me_—_I did this for Skylands! Night Shift, I am not a fiend! Do not mistake me for one! Why are you doing this?!"

"You have no honor. You are a _snake_. A snake who has one of the highest criminal records of all the Skylanders, a snake who lies through his teeth everyday he wakes, a snake who should be in Cloudcracker Prison, a snake who is responsible for_—_"

"**NO FU MI CULPA!**"

Fire Kraken flinched. A chill surged through his scales. Oh no.

Rattle Shake was surprised at first. He didn't say a word, going stiff, rigid. His tail stopped. Sallow, a yellowish-green fluid trickled from his mouth and down his chin, dripping.

Fire Kraken's heart dropped. Venom.

"Yeah, I'm just...I'm just gonna go now. You two obviously have something to talk about so..." Boom Jet backed away. Smart choice.

"Finally," chuckled Night Shift. He rose his fists up; Fire Kraken had never seen a grin that big on Night Shift in a long time. "Took you long enough. You're not the only one who can push buttons. I wanted this to be a fair fight. Seems as if now we're both mad. Small world, huh?"

Rattle Shake's pupils went down to slits. He wrangled Osirus out from his hold, let him curl around his neck, and dropped what was left on the floor. What was he doing? If he was going to fight Night Shift, he definitely needed a gun! His tongue licked across his tainted teeth. "Of course," he cracked his knuckles. "I will give you what you want. A fair fight. Just for you, friend. I always keep my promises."

The two smiled at each other...and then everything turned into chaos.

Left hook, right hook. Fire Kraken wasn't sure who bit first, but all he saw was blurring bodies and flashing fangs. A bit of blood here, a bit of blood there. Left hook, right hook. Night Shift nailed Rattle Shake squarely in his snout, but the attack came with a vengeance, as sharp, green-tinted fangs punctured right through the boxing glove. "What are you trying to get at? I don't have any hands!" He threw out an uppercut, pounding right into Rattle Shake's bottom jaw. Recoiling from the force, the snake slithered back to the wall. What even was this? There absolutely no reason to fight, but they were doing it anyway! Rattle Shake caught Night Shift's gloves right before they could strike, firmly holding them in place, nearly crushing them. He hissed, widened his maw, and spat into the vampire's face, blinding his eyes.

Fire Kraken stopped looking at that moment. This was never supposed to even happen! How did this go so horribly wrong? Just a blink and then suddenly_ WHAM_! If they were just having a little squabble, he'd understand. Swappers were all about squabbling. But this? Without rhyme or reason? Not what he expected. He felt his legs turned to jelly, his heat beat against his chest, and his thoughts were all a whirl. His brain was practically doing backflips. How was he going to end this? How was he going to stop this? What did Wash Buckler always do? What did he do in this situation?

"You're not as perfect as you think you are, Night Shift!" Rattle Shake dug his fingers right into white eyes, pushing hard on them. The vampire hissed when he forced his head into the wall, again and again. In all directions, fists were thrown. When one connected with Rattle Shake's chest, he released with a yowl, curling his tail in. "You think you're special? Just because you grew up rich? With your froufrou parents? Your silly cats? Did you wear a tiara made out of pure gold? Did you pick and prod at your fancy foods? Contéstame! Respóndeme!"

Night Shift growled. "I hated that. I hated_ them_. All of them."

"Sí_," _Rattle Shake nodded. His tongue swiped at the bruise across his nose._ "_And they probably hated you, too."

Blue met with white; white met with blue.

The both bared their fangs, their muscles tightened, and_—_

"NOOO!"

Fire Kraken launched himself right in between them. Two fists stopped in mid-air, right by the scaled sides of his head.

"PLEA-EEEESE!" Uncontrollable tears flowed freely from his eyes like waterfalls. No matter how hard the dragon tried he couldn't stop them. Just as he was a big hugger, Fire Kraken was a big crier. He definitely cried the most out of them all, especially about insignificant, unimportant things. He was unaffected by harsh flames...but not anything else. Sensitive scales and a sensitive heart. His young demeanor didn't seem to be leaving, and probably would never. Breathing becoming ragged, he panted out, every few seconds having his voice quaver and crack. "Don't do this, please. He was just...he was just scared! And you're scared! And_—_" he pointed to Boom Jet_—_"he's scared! And I'm scared! W-we're all scared, Night Shift! You're just making it worse for all of us_—_s-so stop it!"

"And you!" Whipping around, nearly slamming his tail right into the vampire, he faced Rattle Shake. He tried to stop himself from squeaking at the sight of the poison across Rattle Shake's lips. For once he was more afraid of him than Night Shift. He didn't like the eerie twinkle in his eyes, or the stuff dripping from his fangs, so Fire Kraken decided to stare up at his hat. The dragon kept his baton poised and at the ready, just in case. "We all make mistakes. Sometimes we make a lot, sometimes we make a little. It's time you start learning from them!" Whenever he rose his voice it sounded as if he was choking on glass. Would they take him seriously? It wasn't like he was Wash Buckler; he'd never handled a problem like this before and he never expected to. He didn't even want to! But Fire Kraken knew he couldn't just let the two go at each others' throats; he couldn't just idly stand by.

Wrenching his tail in an attempt to try to stop it from drooping, the Bouncer continued. "We have to get through this together, as a team. Night Shift is just...a little disappointed that you knew so much about the Snappers and never told us about it. A-and I am, too! You could've at least told us that it was fatal or somethin'! I mean, come on! Seriously?! We're a family, Rattle Shake, and families don't keep secrets. We're gonna find out about 'em, anyway. Sorta like how Stink Bomb sleeps with his Blanky, or like how Spy Rise likes to keep stashes of soda in his room, or how Boom Jet likes to talk to and tuck in some his bombs at night," Fire Kraken heard Boom Jet shuffle his feet a bit. Bad example, but he needed to get his point across, even if it meant throwing his best buddy under the bus. "B-but those are all mild! I can understand those, 'cause it's not like saying I know that you might die and I'm not gonna say anything about it! Isn't that sorta like_—_I don't know_—_murder or something? Manslaughter?"

A sigh escaped from him. No, a sigh forced itself out from him, ripped right from out of his maw. He felt strange. _That_ felt strange. This obviously wasn't the job for him. He wasn't supposed to be the one blabbing about what one should do and one shouldn't do. Spy Rise handled this most of the time. Waggling fingers, chastising, blah-blah-blah. Fire Kraken? Hanging about, launching himself into someone, giving out hugs. All of this, none of that. Just hearing the words coming out of his own mouth made his tummy turn. He was a jester, a clown, an entertainer! This was not him. What was he feeling? Stress? Such an alien thing. Putting his hands onto his hips, he gave another sigh, heavy and deep and AWFUL. This was torture! Suffering! Fire Kraken clamped his claws around his horns, uttered out one last that huff, gnashed his teeth together, and let words slide through them. "I'm not a babysitter, guys. Just a good friend who wants to see his best pals get along for once in a while. I'm a growing boy_—_I can't take all of this...this...craziness in one day! So please j-just...just...just..." His watery eyes bounced about as he looked for the right words. He remembered that Spy Rise often used a lot of fancy words like _refrain_ and _cease_ but he couldn't get a good grip on his mind at the moment. There was a much simpler approach to go about this. He fought the lump in his throat and his nostrils burned when a bit of smoke spiraled up from them. "Just shut up!"

That hurt him. Badly. The scream and the fire that burned inside it.

Closing his eyes, he gave a ragged series of pants. Rattle Shake flickered out his tongue and Night Shift twisted his lips. Fire Kraken didn't really care what they were doing, as long as they weren't acting like idiots. His eyes stung, his heart throbbed, and his head ached. Night Shift grumbled, Rattle Shake hissed, and as soon as they slunk away, Boom Jet greeted him.

He put out a hand and gave a grin. "Wow, you took that really, really..."

Fire Kraken walked past him, tail dragging. He sat down on a bed, snatched a pillow, pushed his face into it, and screamed. A horrible noise, it was, like a pig being sent to the slaughter. Flames streamed from the blackening, scorched cloth of the pillow and ashes collected beneath his feet. The screams soon ebbed away into sobs. Choking cries, wobbly wails and whimpers.

"...well?" Boom Jet lowered down his hand. Now was not the right time for a high five.

The dragon was releasing everything. Rage, frustration, stress, but also sadness, depression, heartache. His legs started to kick, sending sparks into the air. This wasn't the usual sound of one of his tantrums, like whenever Spy Rise wouldn't let him see what he was working on, or when Wash Buckler wouldn't let him go on a mission. No, this was far different. How? Well, it was definitely more loud, that was for sure. That pillow wasn't doing anything; it was crumpling up right in his claws. His cries grew softer and softer, all the way until there was no more. He rocked back and forth.

"Hey, hey, hey, it's alright_—_you're alright," he felt Boom Jet sit down next to him. The skysurfer started to rub his back, just as the lizard had done to him earlier. Except this was more awkward than comforting. "We're all fine. Fine, fine, fine. S-stop crying, everything's okay! I'm alright, they're alright, you're alright! We're f_iii_ne."

"No!" Fire Kraken, dropping the rest of the pillow, moved away from him and shouted. "Everything's not alright! Freeze Blade's hurt, the others are probably in danger, a-an-and_—_" He clamped his claws tightly around Boom Jet's shoulders. "Everything's going so totally, horribly, awfully WRONG!"

Boom Jet shook his head. "We're...we're just having bad day, buddy. We all have them once in a while. But it's just a day. Just twenty-four hours. I know it may seem long, 'cause it definitely is, but we'll get through it. You just ratted out Night Shift; you just broke up a scramble between the Undead! I think you can handle a little bit of bad luck."

"I dunno..." he tossed his head aside. "I was just doin' whatever..."

"You kidding me? That was wicked. I'm impressed. Wash Buckler probably would be, too."

"I-I guess so. Yeah, th-that did feel kinda good," Fire Kraken looked at his dangling feet with a huff. A prod in the shoulder made his attention return back to his friend, who grabbed him by the side of his head, shaking him.

"Where's my smile? Where's my big, goofy grin? C'mon, show me your grin! Where is it, buddy?" Boom Jet played with his jowls, squashing and stretching them. "Show me! Where's my big, goofy grin?"

Fire Kraken swatted his hands away, but they rebounded with a vengeance. He found his maw forced open, like a Gillman would to a clam. Open and close, open and close.

Boom Jet spoke with the most ridiculous of voices. "Hey, I'm Fire Kraken, and I'm a total dingus, lawlalala! DERP!"

Offensive...but amusing. He fought back a bout of laughter and nearly bit Boom Jet's fingers off, as big, goofy grin rose onto his face. A few snorts escaped from his nose. "Stop that!"

"There it is! There's my big, goofy grin! Hahaha_—_OOPFH!" He was taken by surprise when two, scaly arms wrapped around him, squeezing the living daylights out of him. "Ooo, and there goes my spleen...and my ribcage...and everything else."

They sat there on the bed for a while, stuck together. Fire Kraken wasn't going to let him go. Not yet. Boom Jet's face was all fuzzy, furry, all warm; he liked it, and the dragon nuzzled up against his neck, letting out a few purrs. He felt the skysurfer tense up in surprise, but he didn't pull away. Instead, a gloved hand ran through the blue spines and scales on his head; the Rocketeer brought him closer.

"Boom Jet?"

"Yeah, I know, I was thinking the same thing."

"Really?"

"Yep, this is getting kind of awkward. No, really awkward. And uncomfortable. Really, really uncomfortable. Can you let go now? Your claws are surprisingly sharp."

"No, no, not that! This is great, I like this; you feel like a teddy bear. It's just that..." Fire Kraken fluttered an eye when a tear trailed down from it. His grip tightened. "I wanna go home."

"I know. This trip sucks. We've been here for, like, ever. I don't think anyone is actually enjoying this. I bet those munchkins at the Mainland are probably dining on shrimp cocktails, sipping at wine. And what are we doing? What are we eating? Fish. A bunch of fish. Totally unfair. But, y'know, we'll get our vacay. We deserve it! We'll go to an island! An island paradise! With sandy beaches, clean waters, and tons and tons of beach babes."

The Bouncer sniffled. "Y'think so?"

"Please, I know so! I'm the brains of this outfit, remember? And if Spyro says anything about it, we'll just put him on a rocket...and send him to the MOON!"

"Mnh, nah. That's a bit too mild. How about we send 'im to the moon..." he released Boom Jet from his scaly prison and grinned. "...with GILL GRUNT!"

They cackled, loud and ungraciously. Just like them; just like normal. Back in action. Took long enough.

Boom Jet punched him in the shoulder. "Now cut that sniveling out. I think your snot burnt through my suit..."

"Righty-o," he returned the favor. "..._buddy_."

* * *

Whirlwind had gone through a lot of unfortunate disasters.

Had her wings nearly blown off by lightning. Stuck in an awful snowstorm with the Frost Elves. Achingly forced her way though a whole ocean...with Zap talking the entire time. She'd even been frozen alive! And sent to Earth!

But this was a pain she had never felt before. _This_ was worse than anything she had ever felt before. Pain wrenched through her neck. It scraped away at her fur, it ate away at her skin. The sizzling, bubbling, and cracking was loud in her ears, she could smell her burnt flesh, and she could feel the sickly liquid as it nibbled through her red tissues.

Whirlwind couldn't keep down her shriek. She leapt up, sending Vyruss and Morbus off in a hurry. Bucking, kicking, tossing her head from side to side, the Skylander ran around in circles, flapped her wings, doing anything she could to stop the pain.

And then, as soon as it started, it came to a close. She blinked.

Whirlwind was just...left standing there, pondering, mouth agape. What was that? Acid? Where'd that come from? Who did that? Why did they stop attacking her? She spun about, searching.

"Looking for lil' ol' me?"

Her head swiveled to the front. "What are you, cra—" a gasp sprung from her throat. Whirlwind's jaws dropped.

Apep had always lurked in the darkness; she had never seen him out in the sunlight. She wished it had stayed that way. She knew he was in bad shape, but she didn't expect this! His horns were chipped and cracked. Strange symbols had burned down deep in his dry hide. They were all over him, on his tail, on his chest, on his back. It looked as if he had been branded by an alien.

"Oh, stop whining. It barely even hurt, it was just a splatter."

She stuttered.

"What?"

She stammered.

"What...what are you looking at?"

She sputtered.

"What are you..." He then clamped a claw around his snout. "Oh gods, I came out of the tunnel, didn't I?"

Aghast murmurs sounded from the crowding sets of dragons, who had immediately stopped fighting at the appearance of the white dragon. Had they never seen him out in the open before, too? They were hissing in hushed whispers, to each other, to themselves. Whirlwind looked up to find Pyralis and the other Royal Guards sneering down at the sight, flicking out their tongues, shaking their heads. Flames shot out from Pyralis' mouth and as soon they did, on an instant, six Silvers clambered down the cliffs. They moved swiftly, gracefully, like leaves on the wind. As they neared Apep, their jaws opened wide to bare their glimmering fangs, their claws outstretched, and their eyes lit.

Whirlwind exclaimed. "Apep, watch—"

His tail whipped out, splitting the air. C_rrr_ak! One, two. Whirlwind could've sworn the sound of snapped bones resonated throughout the whole Pit. She winced. At least it was quick. Necks broken, heads stuck, two bodies toppled right into their teammates. Those unfortunate were forced to the ground, trapped beneath the heavy armor of a cadaver. Three. The hybrid had to turn her head away. She bent her ringing ears; those screams were like none other. Hot blood and melted flesh mixed together in a puddle under their heads.

Apep didn't need a warning. He arched his bony back, hissing. That was_ his_ warning. One that the remaining Silvers heeded, backing up, huddling together like a herd of sheep. Pleased with himself, Apep fitted a smile onto his face, turned around, looked up, and laughed. "Are you truly that pathetic? Sending out...pawns to fight me? Are you that weak? Are you that afraid to fight a little, frail, old dragon?"

Pyralis charged down the slope like freight train. Whirlwind had never seen him move so fast! Flames streamed out from the sides of his mouth, bright and fierce. He roared, unleashing all what brewed in his throat in a single blast of fire...directed right at Apep. The healer didn't even dodge; he simply raised his wings over his face, blocking his body and deflecting the attack. Was he fireproof? But how? He didn't look like a Fire Elemental and he had burns all over him already.

Apep, after flicking out his blackened wings, sat down and admired his claws. "What an anti-climax. I do believe that's what the kids call it. Want to try that again, boy?"

"Why are you here?" Pyralis demanded. "Vathek already said he didn't want you on the battlefield."

"And I'm supposed to follow his orders?"

"He is your leader! He is is your king!"

"Oh, dearie me. I must've forgotten. My mind isn't how it used to be, I say."

Pyralis gave him a venomous glare. "Why haven't you left yet? I told you to leave, old hag!"

"Respect your elders!" Apep barked back. His lethal tail whipped at the air and his spines rattled. "Or do I have to know some sense into you?"

The golden-clad dragon growled, darkly. "Just try..."

"Wait!"

An unfamilar voice.

Whirlwind flinched when a figure shouldered through the crowd and past her. She gaped.

If Flashwing was here, she would've had a heart attack. This dragoness—Frigor—was gorgeous! Her smooth-looking scales shined and shimmered under the hard light of the sun. The icicles jutting from her head resembled that of a beautiful, blue crown, and her eyes were like that of a child, innocent and pure. There were no marks, scars, bruises, blemishes, or gashes on her skin—nothing at all! Confused, Whirlwind cocked her head. Was she a princess? Or maybe she was a very, very tiny queen? She didn't even look like she even belonged here! Was she trapped here, too? That seemed so, as her head hung and her tail drooped behind her like a dead animal.

Face pinched with pain, snout wrinkled, her voice diminished into a mere whisper. "Stop..."

"Fri...frigor?" Pyralis had his jaw hung, as if he was trying to catch flies. He found himself unable to work his tongue, surprised, stuttering. Whirlwind couldn't help but notice the change in the Pit Guard's voice; he went from sounding like a slobbering guard dog to a little puppy. "Wha...what are you..." Pyralis seemed to take notice of this as well, as he quickly reformed, giving the air a snap. "What're you doing here?! You're not supposed to be here!"

"I'm here to stop this! I'm here to stop you from taking more lives, Pyralis!" She stamped down a claw. "I'm putting my foot down, Pyra! You've forgotten who you are, you've forgotten where you came from. Y-you don't remember anything! Don't you miss it? Don't you miss all our friends?

"Sister, you're making a scene..."

Frigor opened her mouth, but soon closed it, listening to the words of her fellows,

"Why's she still here?"

"Look at her, the pest. Yelling at a Royal Guard; have she no manners?"

"We should've killed her a long time ago. At least then she'd be where she belongs: rotting with all the other carcasses for the Desert Wyrms!"

Whirlwind drooped her ears; she was having some serious déjà vu. There were only two options: either Frigor was an image of her in an another life...or she had a bad case of the bullies.

Her face glowed with humiliation, with dejection. Head down, she looked away, as if she were disgusted with herself. Whirlwind couldn't help but feel her pain. She wanted to get up and scream, knock them so far into the clouds that fluff exploded from their ears, so far that they got stuck there forever. But she found herself frozen, words only a snarl caught in her throat. Her injured wings struggled, flapping, as she tried to lift herself upright.

Frigor could handle herself on her own, so it seemed. Wrinkles creased into her snout, making way for a growl. Her tail thwacked low to the ground. This wasn't humiliation or dejection or anything of the sort. Her nostrils flared, in the same way her brother did. Blue lips peeled back to display a row of icy teeth, tiny but sharp. She stalked forward, every step full of purpose, full of intent. "They're not wrong, you know? I don't belong here. We don't belong here." Frigor turned to the crowd, a wide smile painted across her face. "And do you want to know why?" Her audience only replied back with hisses; Whirlwind wasn't sure if that was even a yes or a no. Frigor lunged forth with fervor, extended her wings, and shouted out, "Because we're domesti-"

Giant, red wings swallowed her up as Pyralis brought her to his armored chest. Swaddled like a little baby. Whirlwind could see her kicking, thrashing, and writhing in his grasp, as his membranes bulged with every strike. Frigor wasn't having it, screaming as if she'd been stabbed by the sharpest sword in Skylands, cut open, and gutted. "**NO! NO, NO, NO! STOP IT! LET ME GO! BROTHER, STOP! LET ME GO! STAPHIT!**" Whirlwind could hear the snap of fangs and, with a squinted eye, she could see the faint shadow of Frigor, twisting like a trapped snake. "**STOP! **Stop! Stop...stop..." Her breaths became shallow, slower and slower. Words became nothing but drawls. She stopped moving, for her brother's snout touched her own. A little hiccup escaped from her...and then everything broke lose. All of her emotions emerged in one, lengthy wail. Her entire body shook as tears struck the hot ground, evaporating within seconds. Hushing her, soothing her, Pyralis rocked back and forth, nuzzling one of his ruthless, murderous, cannibalistic warriors.

Whirlwind couldn't believe her eyes. Had...had that really just happened? A few dragons shook their heads, scoffing, but the majority were truly just as incredulous as her, their eyes wide. Pyralis lifted his head with a sniff. Was he about to cry, too? His tail flicked.

Nope.

After that one, single, miniscule movement, she was yanked back by her feathered tail, sharp, steel claws pulling on her wings as silver bodies slammed into her. She scrabbled at the sand, but she didn't fight. She didn't scream; she only yawned. Her eyelids fell and her head lolled. Sand sticking to her fur, the Skylanders was dragged into the darkness of a tunnel, but to her she was only dragged into sleep. She collapsed and curled into a furry, blue ball. A smile scrolled her face, even as those around her were snapping, biting and yelling.

She would be leaving the Pit on a good note. Perhaps some ruthless, murderous cannibalistic warriors weren't so bad after all; perhaps Pyralis wasn't so bad after all.

Her smile grew.

* * *

"Wash Buckler, j-just lower down your weapons. Take it easy."

This hadn't been the first time. This wouldn't be the last.

Spy Rise only knew that much about what pure Darkness and what it did to the Skylanders. It was an enigma, simply because he would never understand just how it felt. Two of, as Eon called them, the Tainted were on the SWAP Force: Wash Buckler and Blast Zone. The Ent scholars wrote in every book that they'd gone on a special mission to fight Kaos, along with Stealth Elf and Slobber Tooth. In the fray, the lair exploded, and so did the Petrified Darkness that the villain was toying with, releasing a cloud of pure Darkness into the air. To protect Skylands from its wrath, they absorbed it, all of it.

No.

It wasn't that simple. Poof goes an evil cloud and then suddenly new forms?

No.

What was written in the books was wrong. Dead wrong.

That was not the first time they'd ever been exposed to the Darkness. Empress Kalamity knew her ways around getting under their skin. She knew exactly what she was doing. Ridding their sanity, throwing away their minds, possessing them like puppets. They had no control. Friend or foe, if a Skylander, or anyone for that matter, was in their line of sight, they were going to be hurt. That was definite. Damage was done without them even realizing, even knowing what they were doing. The Darkness overtook their bodies; it did whatever it wished with them, whether that be harming another teammate or harming themselves. In a sense, it acted every much like Snapper venom...except this was permanent. There was no zapping with a magic staff, no cloud of evilness, just coldhearted, cruel possession. A curse with no cure. Like their swapping ability, they were stuck with it to the end of their days. Just when they it was all over, Kaos had only reawakened it, evolved it.

Now it didn't even matter if they were around the Darkness_—_sometimes it just happened spontaneously! As much as they liked to believe they had it under control, they really, really didn't. It might've worked for Spyro, Stealth Elf, and Slobber Tooth, but not for them.

If they stayed in that form for too long...

Spy Rise smothered the thought. It wasn't something he wished to remember. But it was all coming back to him, unwillingly, forcefully. He was just glad it was Wash Buckler and not Blast Zone, or the two of them together for that matter. Dark Blast Zone was more hostile, aggressive, ready to unleash his anger at anything that moved. Fast, quick, always on point. Trying to subdue him was like trying to corner a mad Boghog. It didn't help that he was made of fire. Even throwing water on him didn't put out his flames! Dark Wash Buckler could be at times, more of less, just a surly, bad-tempered child. Just as normal Wash Buckler acted like a happy, cheerful child. Simple small-talk seemed to do the trick. It kept him calm, while having Fire Kraken wrestle him to the ground, Trap Shadow chain him up, Rubble Rouser hit him over the head, only angered the Mermasquid. In this situation, fighting was not the answer.

"Keep calm. Remember, we're your friends. You're just...going through another one of those..." Spy Rise scrunched his face up as he searched for the right word. "..._minor_ phase. Itty-bitty, little phase. Can you attempt to get out of it? We need you to get out of it. I don't want you harm yourself, Wash Buckler."

_We_, as in a small handful of Swappers. A scattering, a sprinkling. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, including him, of course. Blast Zone, Rubble Rouser, Stink Bomb, Free Ranger, Magna Charge, Trap Shadow, Doom Stone, Grilla Drilla, and Hoot Loop, who wouldn't be much help seeing as he was unconscious. Sadly. He could've kept Wash Buckler at bay with a forcefield while they handled the situation with the Seadogs...and deadly, colossal beasts right under them.

_What a day_, Spy Rise thought. He was tired. Very, very tired. All he wanted to do was just drown out of the problems of the world, pop open one of those fattening, fizzy drinks, and find a nice sofa to flop on. A strange thing for Spy Rise to think about, yes, but right about now he only wished to collapse onto on the floor of the Mongrel. Spy Rise seriously didn't care if it was ridden with Seadog fleas and microscopic sealife. He just wanted some sleep! That's all! He never asked for any of this! But he was stuck with it anyway.

Stuck with the others trying to surround their own leader. Stuck in a circle.

For gods' sake, this was the worst getaway in the history of all getaways.

He tried to hide all of his stress underneath a wired smile, for the good of Wash Buckler, the team, and himself. "We're not going to hurt you. We're just here to help you."

The world seemed to be trapped in a block of ice. Everything was just...frozen. Spy Rise didn't even hear what was going on behind him, beneath him, or above him. His focus was only set on subduing Wash Buckler. Dark Wash Buckler. And it looked as if it was starting to work!

The Mermasquid's expression brightened, as a smile crawled across his face. "Hehe, what's this? Looks like we've got ourselves a standoff here, boys. Well, come on then, who's first? Don't just stand around like barnacles. We're all friends here. I promise I'll go easy on you."

His voice was the same as always. The cheery tone, the carefree attitude...

It didn't match. Not at all. Spy Rise trembled at his leader's appearance. No, he didn't have devil horns and a flaming pitchfork, or blood-covered fangs and extra arms. Just what one would expect a Dark Wash Buckler to look like.

Dark. Very, very dark.

It looked almost as if he'd covered himself in his own ink. The color was everywhere, his tentacles, his skin, his clothes, and even his hat! A steely silver was thrown about here and there, glinting.

"...what?" Spy Rise felt as if he was one of those hunters on those ghosts shows. He squinted, trying to decipher what the Mermasquid had meant. "Who's first?"

"That's what I'm asking. I'm pumped up. Riled up!" His eyes glowed brighter than ever before, brighter than whenever he downed a soda, brighter than whenever he found out a new secret. They soon narrowed, growing thinner and thinner. A strange rumble emanated from his throat. Spy Rise had never heard that noise from Wash Buckler before. That was the noise Trap Shadow usually made when someone disturbed his sleep, or when ticked Rubbler Rouser off. He drew his weapons, batting them together to create an awful, clinking sound. "I'm ready."

"But...for what?"

He scoffed. "And they call you the smart one."

Spy Rise widened his eyes. Had he heard that right? Had Wash Buckler just said that? No, no, this wasn't Wash Buckler. He was gone, long gone.

His leader made note of his hurt expression. "Oh, I'm sorry. Did I hurt your feelings? C'mon, I'm waiting! Somebody hit me already! Come at me! I'm not gonna bite!"

Rubble Rouser took that chance. Hammer raised, he charged, without a second thought or anything to spare. Dark Wash Buckler put a hand out.

_**WHOOSH!**_

Before he could even get near, the Stonesapien was thrown right across the Mongrel, crashing down onto poor Hoot Loop, crushing him.

Spy Rise found himself speechless.

What on...

How did..

What was...

**WHAT WAS THAT?!**

Last time he checked Dark Wash Buckler didn't have telekinesis abilities. What ever happened to using his tentacles? All he did was throw out a hand and then...

Spy Rise saw the rest of the Swappers stiffen up. A few of them clenched their weapons tighter, a few others stepped back a little.

"I guess that's over and done with," Wash Buckler fixed his hat. "Anyone else want to be stupid? It'll make it easier for me and easier for you. Sound like a great deal?"

"Wash Buckler, please, come back to us," begged Spy Rise. "Fight the Darkness. I know you can_—_you always do!"

"Aww," he poked at his dimples, "ya care about me or something? How cute...and how pathetic."

"Leave him be!" Blast Zone was the only one who hadn't been fazed. He stood strong, his voice like that of the thunder above. "Face me instead!"

Dark Wash Buckler heeded the order. He smiled, coolly. "Ooh, we have a volunteer. And what would your name be, little boy?"

"Cut it out. I don't have time for your games. You don't have time for the Darkness' games."

"But it's game night! And there's always time for a game! Let's play one right now! I've just made one up and it's pretty killer, if I do say so myself," Dark Wash Buckler trilled. "I call it Tin Gods! It's sort of a truth or dare thing...except without the dare. Still tons of fun!"

Spy Rise rose a brow. He couldn't resist asking a question. "T-tin gods? What is that supposed to insinuate? What's that supposed to mean?"

"Y'know, a tin god. Like someone who thinks they're better than everyone else. Basically what all of you guys are. What all of the Skylanders are. You all think you're special, little snowflakes...but you're really not."

Blast Zone started. "Wash Buckler, stop_—_"

"Take this furnace knight fellow for an example. Let's see just what he's made of, shall we?" Dark Wash Buckler inched closer to the deputy, giggling. "Bomb Squad. I think you can recall what I mean."

He didn't say a word.

"No? Well, how about this. Arm there, legs there, head there, broken, bleeding bodies everywhere."

Blast Zone's flames only intensified. A low growl emanated out from his vents.

"Let's continue. Mutilation, decapitation, amputation. Screams of horror. Boy, you really had it hard. Must've been really sad to see half of your squadron like that," Dark Wash Buckler toyed with a side of his mustache. "Well, at least...the remainders of them..." he added under his breath.

"**ENOUGH!**"

Spy Rise jumped away with a yelp. Blast Zone had nearly exploded in rage, fire bursting out from him with the fury of a thousand suns.

"Wah-wah. Too bad, so sad. You've lost the first round, Blast Zone. We just started! I expected more from you."

"Do your worst, demon."

Dark Wash Buckler drew back, hand on his chest. "That's a little harsh, dude. Not cool. I never called you a demon. I was just playing around, BZ. Can't you take a joke? Geez, stop being such a baby. This is supposed to be fun. Wasn't my fault you assigned tons of dumb Mabu to deactivate bombs."

Trap Shadow remarked. "That was sick."

"Why, thank you. See, this fine sir understands comedy!"

"No. I mean sick as in disgusting, revolting," the hunter crossed his arms. "That wasn't a joke, that wasn't a joke at all. That was an atrocity. You're an atrocity. You're not Wash Buckler."

Spy Rise was surprised_—_shocked, even. He'd never expected Trap Shadow to be the one to say that.

"Oh, please. You say worse things everyday."

"Those are jokes. _Actual_ jokes. I have my standards. Death is where I cross the line."

"Death is where you cross the line?" Wash Buckler asked with a scoff. "Yeah, sure. Says the carnivore. Poor Trappy. You want to forget what happened. You can't seem to wipe the blood off your paws. You keep trying and trying. But you can't forgive yourself for it. You've got a stripe for every life you and your clanmates have taken. What are you now? A tabby cat. Declawed, groomed. To give fill to the monster inside, to purge yourself, you spit out insults at anyone who gets in your line of sight. You even thought about eating Free Ranger once. I remember that, Mr. Death-Is-Where-I-Cross-the Line."

"Stay out of it!" Stink Bomb shouted. "You weren't even there. He was just a kit_—_his clanmates made him do it! He didn't know what he was doing! Trap Shadow was just following the leader!"

"Oh, hey, what do you know? It's your boyfriend," Dark Wash Buckler muttered as monotonous as he could. The Mermasquid shifted his attention off to the Swampskunk.

Stink Bomb was frightened at first, tail bristling up, fur sticking out. At that moment he probably regretted saying anything at all. But when Dark Wash Buckler drew closer, he straightened himself up, stiffened his lips, and snarled.

"Yes, yes, you're very threatening, so very adorable, so..." the converted Mermasquid said. "Naive. You're defending him. It's not really much of a surprise. How stupid can you get? Now _that_ is a game all on its own. Acting all like you're tough, like you're strong. Big and buff. You make me laugh. I think that's the only reason I'm keeping you around here, actually. You're like one of those singing bass fish things, the one stuck to the wall, like the Christmas gift no one wanted. Like a pair of funny-colored socks. A throwaway, a paperweight. Yeah, you can clear a room, but that may just be one of the only redeemable things about you. If it weren't for that, you wouldn't even be on this team..."

Trap Shadow snarled, baring his fangs. His claws flexed, dangerously. He stared at Spy Rise, flicked an ear, and pointed.

Waiting for the O.K.

Frowning, Spy Rise shook his head. This Wash Buckler was starting to get on his nerves, almost far more than the regular one. Almost. He needed to take action, before anything got out of hand. "Wash Buckler..."

"There's literally nothing else there. Absolutely nothing."

Spy Rise folded his arms. "Wash Buckler," he repeated, sternly.

"_You're _nothing. Well, I mean, nothing but a disappointment. You've got that going, I guess. There's some_—_"

"WASH BUCKLER!" Spy Rise slammed a leg into the floor with an audible clank.

He stopped. A ripple of red flashed through his skin, fading into inky gloom. Dark Wash Buckler turned around with a fiery gaze, a glare like none other. Spy Rise felt his gears stop churning for a split second. The scowl on the Mermasquid's face soon melted away into a smile. "Ahh, there you are. Can't believe I just passed over you like that. Sorry, Spydey."

"Please stop this," Spy Rise replied. "The real Wash Buckler wouldn't do this_—_any of this! We should be retreating. Not playing...this stupid game of yours. Get a grip."

"I know you're just mad that I accidentally skipped you. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Really, truly," Dark Wash Buckler rose his hands up. "Please..." A sick smirk creeped over his lips. He tossed his cutlass around in his hand before directing it right at the Spyder. Its blade shone like a star. "Let me make it up to you."

Spy Rise, putting his arms against his chest, braced himself...

...for something that didn't even happen...

He opened his eyes.

Purple hues met with green hues. Dark Wash Buckler was right in his face. The blade of the cutlass had been placed underneath his chin, scratching it up. There was a snicker, then there was a laugh. A chuckle and a cackle.

Dark Wash Buckler traced the side of his face with a tentacle and breathed out a hushed whisper. Spy Rise winced at his touch, at the hot air that brushed past him every time the Mermasquid spoke. Too close. Too, too close. "I make you _sooo_ uncomfortable, don't I? Feeling unnerved? Freaked out? Got the willies? You're really, really cute when you're wigged out, 'cause you make this funny face..."

Yes, yes, yes! All of the above. But he couldn't show it_—_he wouldn't show it. Displaying his weakness as if it were a feathery boa would only make Dark Wash Buckler stronger; he'd have the upperhand. Spy Rise clenched his teeth as the sticky limb moved up, down, and around the side of his face, swiping, swirling. It took all of his strength for him not to scream. The tentacle felt horrid, absolutely horrid. Far worse than a taunting tail brush by Stink Bomb, far worse than a wet lick from Fire Kraken. Spy Rise felt his gears buckle up. Why, why, why did it have to be him? There was a simple answer to that simple question.

The Spyder was easy prey.

And the Mermasquid definitely knew just how to creep him out. Sly dog.

Dark Wash Buckler, pleased with his work, gave a laugh. "That's the face," he smiled and patted him on his head, as if he were a dog. "That's my favorite, _wittle_ face that I _wuv_ so much!" the blackened Mermasquid roughly grabbed him by his chin. "Are you ticklish, Spy Rise? Coochie-coochie-coo!"

In a single second, before the Spyder even knew it, a multitude of tentacles were soon touching him, along his chest, across his back_—_everywhere! Chills went through his circuits. Half of him wanted to burst out into laughter, the other half was frozen cold. The other Swappers exchanged glances. Was was Spy Rise supposed to do? Was he supposed to laugh? Was he supposed to scream? He stifled a snort, yet he scowled. A grin tried to inch onto his face, but was diminished by a grimace.

This was uncomfortable.

No, this was fun.

This was torture!

No, this was hilarious!

His mind was at war with itself.

"Hahahah_—_stop it! Stop-stop-**STOP**!"

That would be a no.

His arms outstretched. They acted fast and gave the Mermasquid a rough shove in the chest, knocking him aside.

Dark Wash Buckler recovered quickly; another flash of red appeared on his skin. "You hate me, don't you?"

"Yes! Yes, I do!" Everything just spilled out from him. He didn't even realize. "Let me tell _you_ the truth! I'm apart of this game, too! You're vile, disgusting, absolutely repulsive! You always smell like fish a-and you rarely ever clean those AWFUL tentacles of yours! It's like you were never taught any manners at all, with your sickening Neanderthal behaviors! You never even excuse yourself when you belch! You're so obnoxiously loud when there's no reason to be! A-and why must you always bother me when I'm working? Why can't you just go away? How difficult is it to just do that? Your stupidity is mindboggling! Simply mindboggling! You don't even know the approximate number of how many legs you have! And they're attached to your own body! Your _own_ body! A-and...and..." His whole frame quivered. It was as if he was fighting the words, trying to stop them from coming out. "AND I SHOULD BE LEADER!"

His wires went cold; his gears froze.

Trap Shadow clamped a claw over his snout, Free Ranger clapped a talon over his forehead, and Doom Stone gave a sigh.

Bad decision. Very, very bad decision.

Spy Rise skittered back. "Wai-wait, no, I didn't mean that! I didn't mean any of that! It was just...just a joke!"

"Dudes, did you hear that? Spy's in the lead!" Dark Wash Buckler followed him forth. Tentacles whipped out. Two wrapped themselves around the Climber's arms, coiling like cobras.

Crushing them.

Sparks of electricity bounced off from them. Another two ripped the wires from them, stretching them, toying with them. Oils sprayed out, like from that of hose, wild and violent. Using all his might, Spy Rise bit back a pained groan, squeezing his eyes shut. Something pulsed through his split wires_—_something indescribable. It tore right through him.

"Too bad he won't be staying for the next round..."

* * *

_Yeah, Dark Wash Buckler's more of the kind of guy to tease his foes before he acts._

_VV, BRING ON THE SUPERCHARGERS! WOOOOOO-HOOOO! OOOOOOO! I'VE NEVER BEEN SO EXCITED ABOUT CARS GOING AROUND IN A CIRCLE EVER IN MY LIFE! NEVER IN MY LIFE DID I THINK VEHICLES WOULD BE SO PLEASING!_


	22. Just Fine

_Yeah, yeah, this is long. I had to cut out more of Darkie, a kaiju fight, more Corelanders, and a thing with Grills for this. Would've been longer. But there's a silver lining! Two chapters in one month. And work on a new fic. I'm proud. Chapter Backstabber is taking the backseat for now. Haha, car joke! It's funny because..._

_...nothing._

* * *

_The sobbing was soft. Freeze Blade had to wriggle his ears just to hear it clearer. Sonic Boom did the same, straining them and flicking them forth. _

_"Do you hear that?" the Speedster asked. _

_No reply. _

_"Hello?" he repeated._

_Sonic Boom didn't say anything. Freeze Blade blinked. __Why wasn't she answering? Had she finally gone deaf? No, that didn't make any sense. __Couldn't she feel the cold? __Surely she'd notice the Frost Feline standing right next to her! _

_Apparently not. _

_Before he could open his mouth again, there was a wail. Shrill and sharp and strident. The griffin gasped. __Her feathers bushed out immediately and her tail went stiff._

_Puppy. Seapuppy. _

_Something definitely kicked in her, as she didn't hesitate to scramble up the burning stairs, push open the door, and invite herself inside. Motherly instincts at their best. There was a scream, and not one from the child. Freeze Blade's ears stuck straight up. Put into action, he followed her inside only to skid to a halt._

_As expected, there was a Seadog, a she-beard to be exact. The average image. Ragged fur, stained and torn clothes, an unnecessary amount of earrings, lots of unbecoming hairs from under the chin. Even a golden tooth was propped right in between her two, front teeth. An unsightly, infected scar crossed right over the bridge of her snout, revealing a bit of bone. What was concerning was the bundle of blankets held close to her chest. The Seapuppy._

_Sonic Boom stepped forth. "Miss, you need to__—__"_

_"Get away from us, hellbeast!" the Seadog snarled, whipping out a switchblade and waving it around. "Go back to your leader and tell 'im to boil his ugly, purple 'ead!"_

_Hellbeast, not hellbeasts. Singular and not plural. Was Freeze Blade invisible or something? This was a dream; he could do anything he wanted to. So why couldn't he talk to people? He wanted to talk to people!_

_"I know this is scary, I know I might seem scary. But this is not who were are. Not usually, at least. This was...this is just a little accident. None of this was ever supposed to happen."_

_"A lil' accident? That's a laugh! Tell that to all the burnin' bodies out there! I'm not leavin' without my mate, y'hear?"_

_"I assure you, we're no monsters. We were called here by Master Eon, we were given a report saying that Knifeteeth was here somewhere. This is where he is hidden, right? Sawsinsomething?"_

_" 'Ow should I know? And why should I tell you? Hag!"_

_Hag? Someone hadn't looked in the mirror lately. That was what Freeze Blade would've said if he was Sonic Boom. That was what he would've said if ANYONE could hear him in the first place! _

_Sonic Boom was persistent, taking steps little by little. "Please, miss. Listen to me. You can't stay here. I'm sure your mate is already on a Skyship, safe and sound. This house isn't going to stay like this. You NEED to evacuate."_

_"I don't listen to anyone's orders! Especially not the ones from a dirty, filthy SKYLANDER!" She howled at the last part. A little too loudly, as the pup in her arms started to squirm and whine. The blade dropped from her claw. She put her muzzle next to the infant's tiny ears, stroking his head with a paw. "No, no, no, I'm sorry," the Seadog spoke in whispers. "Mommy didn't mean to scare you. Shhh, shhh, no one's going t'hurt ya__—__not when I'm here."_

_"Is that your babe?" Sonic Boom asked. _

_Her saccharine voice was then dropped back down to its original: gruff and harsh. She, not wanting to cause any more distress to the child, growled through her teeth. "Nothing gets past you, does it? You're an absolute mastermind."_

_"Do you care about your babe?"_

_Offense was immediately taken. The she-beard squeaked almost louder than the bundle in her arms. "WHAT? What do you mean do I care about my babe?! Are you saying I'm a bad mother?!" She had to wince when the pup began to cry again. _

_Sonic Boom shook her head. "I've got a few handfuls of my own. I know how hard it can be__—__I know how scary it can be for a young mother. But I need you to prove that you care about your child. Leave this house before you both end up buried among the rubble. I'm not here to hurt you; I'm here to help you. Mother to mother, heed my words. You can trust me. You're doing more harm to you and your baby sticking around in here with this smog. You've got some time, I'd suggest you start using it."_

_The she-beard gave a grimace, but didn't growl any longer. "What is your name, Skybeast?"_

_"Sonic Boom. And yours? I'd rather not call you Seadog over and over again. Could get repetitive."_

_"...Sah-sah-sah..." the she-beard swallowed up the rest of the sentence; her expression softened, she straightened up, and then spoke again. "Seaslit. My name is Seaslit."_

_Freeze Blade would've snorted if the situation hadn't been dire. Seadog, Seaslit. Bad parenting. If a pup happened to be born with a missing eye, they'd call him Darksocket. If a pup happened to be born with a missing paw, they'd call him Onepaw. Why did they always do that? To make them seem more frightening? No one was going to scatter away from a dog named Earclay. Well, maybe Spy Rise would. Perhaps Seaslit was just a pseudonym, some sort of a silly nickname. Yes, that had to be it. How would a baby be born with a ripped open snout? And why would any sane person name them after it?_

_Seaslit fixed her grip around the pup. "And this 'ere be me lil' one, Worbler. We haven't chosen a real name for him yet. I just chose it 'cause he talks a lot. My mate said he wanted t'name him, though. I don't know where he went..."_

_Sonic Boom studied the babe. The pup's eyes were barely opened. His fur was a tannish, tawny white, dappled with dirty, brown spots, specks and splotches of the color everywhere. He looked a bit like one of the canvases Stink Bomb would cover when he was half-asleep, just flicking his brush, splattering paints. _

_"Oh, that's easy," the mother griffin gave out a giggle. "Patches. I'd call him Patches."_

_"Patches? Why? I was thinking Mudpelt or Dirtypaws."_

_Did nursing children make people ditzy? Maybe it was just all the smoke? Hormones?_

_"Because of all patches on him. One there, one there, one there—and there's about two there! Say, this mate of yours wouldn't happen to be a Dalmatian would he?" _

_They both laughed. Freeze Blade wasn't in a laughing mood, and they shouldn't have been either. How could one giggle when the literal definition of madness was going on outside? What happened to 'hurry, your house is about to collapse' or 'you can't stay here' or 'GET THE HECK OUT'? He wished they could hear him. _

_Someone must've heard, as a plank of burning wood dropped from the ceiling, landing right in between the smiling mothers. This made them both yelp and stagger back. _

_Snapped back into reality, Sonic Boom unfurled her wings with a shriek. "C'mon, let's get you two out of here!"_

_Finally! Not that Freeze Blade wanted to go back and sightsee all the horrors, but it was better than sitting around in a house that was becoming a bonfire. After making sure the two were out, Freeze Blade slid down the stairs, nearly tripping on one of them. The stench was back, the smoke was gathering, and he started to feel sick again. Just a step back out into utter chaos. Choking among the fumes, he had to wince to see. He couldn't find where they went._

_"This way! The ships are over here!"_

_Freeze Blade whirled around...only to be greeted by a set of yellow teeth._

_Two, white eyes; two, purple streams. _

_Momma's Boy. _

_Like the monster from a movie, he slunk his way out of the thick smoke. His muzzle was wet with blood. It wasn't his own, Freeze Blade soon figured out. One claw gripped a crimson-dripping sabre, the blade dragging, slicing the earth behind him. A young Seadog had been slung onto his back like a bag of potatoes. _

_The Cardmaster dropped him..._

_...ever so gently. Not a toss, not a throw. Not something a villain would do. It almost looked as if he was about to cover him with a blanket, read him a bedtime story, and give him a glass of milk. Now, he didn't do anything of the sort...but he did kneel down and pat the Seadog on his head. "I can't go any further. There's still more trapped beneath the rubble; I need to help them. My men will get you aboard."_

_Freeze Blade squinted. What? He looked down. There wasn't a single puncture, not even a slash. Just a twisted leg. Then where had the blood come from? Another Seadog? A Skylander?_

_The crippled Seadog rose his head a little and wheezed. __"...thank you."_

_"Quite alright. I do apologize about the mess. I haven't mastered this...skill yet," As soon as he rose back up, a pebble hit him squarely in the skull. He turned; Freeze Blade followed his gaze. After snapping at a shadow's heels, Bash noticed he was being watched and gave the Seadogs a snarl, before waddling off back into the smog. The Cardmaster snorted. "__Where'd they all come from? Is this some sort of ambush? I don't care about whatever bad luck it may bring, we should kill them. I've got enough strength to do it!"_

_"W-we don't know. They just came here and..."_

_His sentence was finished by a yelp, as claws came out of the shadows and dug right into his back. Cynder opened her jaws and her teeth jetted out with a sound like unsheathing daggers. "Got one!" she proclaimed, far too peppily.  
_

* * *

Flowers bloomed out among the tall, green layer of grass, like stars against a night sky. Varied in size, varied in shape, varied in shades. Small, medium, big. Cupped, flat, full. White, pink, purple. All different, all unique.

Peering through his drooping eyelids, high upon a grassy ledge, Spyro admired each and everyone. Springtime.

A gust of cool air slithered its way into the field and down his spine, under his scales.

Training time.

His lazy eyes followed the armor-clad dragon Blades down below, who was hopping about and showing off his wings. "Did you see me, Spyro? Did you see what I did? Did you see it?"

"Mhm-mhm, that looked great," Nothing more than a mere mumble escaped from him. He hadn't gotten a wink of sleep. Skylanders of all sizes, shapes, and shades were up and at it, throwing horseshoes, rupturing the earth beneath them, storming through attacks, creating copies of themselves. Far too early for a dragon in the middle of their slumber. No, no, it wasn't all the noise that was disturbing him, it wasn't the smell of fire, or even the bright flashes that followed after an explosion...

Blades.

Him.

It never stopped. Never, ever stopped. Every time he tried to shut his eyes, just a little flicker, a simple flutter, that kid would holler his name. Spyro this, Spyro that, Spyro watch, Spyro look. He just wanted it to end. He just wanted some sleep. Was it that hard to ask for? No, he couldn't have moved.

Blades would follow.

No, he couldn't have told him to stop.

Blades would persist.

No matter what he did...

Blades would always be victorious.

His tail waggled like wild. A bout of laughter exploded from his smiling maw. "Great? I can do better than great! I can do awesome, I can do FANTASTIC! Watch me, Spyro, watch me! I'm gonna blow your horns off with this next one!"

"Keep trying, Blades," he tried to keep his drooping head up. So far, so good. No side effects from whatever pink goop that crawled down his throat. Just a bit of grogginess, nothing more. Sleep was luring him right into its trap. Comfy, soothing trap. Before his eyelids could begin to shut, a raindrop fell onto his head. He was no meteorologist, but Spyro knew that the weather wasn't looking too good. The sky was a sickly, pale gray. Nothing billowing, nothing dark. It just looked...off. Another drop hit his flat snout.

Spyro sneezed, awakening the furry body next to him. Purple wings buffeted him in the back of the head, stretching, spreading. He gave a wince. This was nothing new, for Scratch was never much of a beauty model whenever she got up. Who was? But this Sphinx took it to a the next level. A tail whacked at the air, to and fro, until it connected with Spyro's flank. He'd gotten himself into this, all on his own, so he wasn't too annoyed. Better than sleeping with Cynder. Anything was better than that.

The winged cat did her usual routine. Arching her back, stretching out her forelegs, raising up to her hindlegs, kneading the ground a few times, and finally, her finishing move, letting out a yawn.

"Do you have to do that every time you wake up?" Spyro, absentmindedly, scraped at the grass.

"Do you have to spin around in a silly circle every time you want to fall asleep?" she countered, giving a smug smirk.

"Makes everything soft, leveled; you should try it sometimes," Spyro turned to her, returning the same gesture. "You look a bit like roadkill in the morning."

Scratch truly did. Her fur stuck out, all awry, all messy. Wings wrinkled, feathers crinkled. "Oh-ha-ha," she sniffed, "I forgot how to laugh. Thanks for the words of wisdom, fearless leader. I have to say, looking like a flayed raccoon is better than looking like a lizard who ran into someone's Skyship kabillion of times."

"At least the lizard can't get fleas."

"But the flayed raccoon hasn't lost all of her pearly whites."

Spyro rose to his legs and cocked his scaled brows. A challenge? Scratch lowered down with a yowl, tail lifted, pelt prickled. Definitely a challenge. "You're forgetting that this lizard is leader."

She poked him in the chest. "Flayed raccoon knows that lizard is only second-in command."

He did the same. "Lizard knows the difference between a laser pointer and an invader."

"Well, uhm..." Scratch opened her mouth, only to close it a millisecond after. Her ear twitched a little, once, twice, before she jumped down with a yowl. "DUCK!"

"Duck? But we're not talking about_—_WHOA!" Some sort of magical blast tore through the air, right above Spyro's head, nearly grazing his yellow spines. He staggered back onto his tail, looking around. His attention was soon brought to the figures below, one of them waving at him.

"Oh, sorry! That was all on me! Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry!" Déjà Vu said so many apologies that her mask almost slid of. "I-I didn't mean for that to happen! I wasn't aiming for you! Spyro, I'm sorry!"

Spyro felt his spikes with a paw; he waved back with the other. "That's alright, Déjà Vu. I'm fine."

"Are you serious?!" His words unfortunately went unheard, as he was talked over by Blades. The young dragon stalked towards the masked girl, teeth bared. "You messed it up!"

Déjà Vu cocked her head to the side. "...were you aiming for him?"

Blades slapped a claw over his face and groaned. "Why are you so stupid? Why can't you be like everyone else?" he eased forward, pushing her back with every step. "Why are you even here? You're just a distraction; that's all you are. You're barely even a Sky..." His words trailed away as a fiery form approached. The act was dropped, and a faux smile widened itself upon his face. "H-hey, Torch! How-how's it going?"

A burning nozzle was forced just a mere inch away from his snout. Torch mimicked his grin. "I'm doing good, I'm doing good. Probably _a lot_ better than how you'll feel in a few seconds, but let's not get too ahead of ourselves."

"Yes, that'd be a bit too hasty," Using a tentative claw, the dragon tapped at the nozzle, only to have it nearly jabbed right into his face. He fought back a snarl. "Alright, enough scare tactics! I'm not afraid of you, broad! The name is Blades, second dragon of the Air Element, one of the many Legendaries, and the BEST SKYLANDER EVER! If you've got a problem with it_—_" he raised his wings, showing off their spiked, steely covering_—_"you can talk to _these _puppies right here! Y'hear?"

He was silenced when a hot hand poked right under his jaws, fingers moving around until...

Blades fell down onto his back with a thud, legs sticking erect.

"Woah," Scratch awed, "what'd she do to him?"

"Pressure point. Yeah, she, uh, does that a lot..." Spyro looked away. He'd had that happen to him before. It wasn't pleasant. In fact, he was certain that Torch had done that on all the dragon Skylanders. Didn't exactly work for Fire Kraken for some reason. Tummy rubs, however...

"No, no, not again! S-spyro, help me! I'm in danger!" Blades begged, but no one was coming to his aid. He flailed his legs. "Don't do that! I am an important Skylander_—_I am better than you!" He found himself being tickled under his chin. His claws swatted at the air; a fruitless attempt. "I'm not your pet! I will throw you off the edge of Skylands when I get back onto my feet, I swear!"

Torch glanced back at Déjà Vu, who was shuffling a foot. "You can pet him if you want to, anywhere you want. Dragons aren't so scary when they're like this. You've just got to watch out if they kick, 'cause they will. Like trying to clean the hooves of a horse, or help the calf out of a cow. Except those two can't breathe fire. But Blades doesn't have a lick of that in him. He can barely do anything at all right now. I have him under my complete control when he's rolled onto his back. A dragon showing its underbelly is pretty much defenseless. Well, a dragon like this. Their skin is thick and tough on the top, but soft and squishy on the bottom. Opposite for Spyro and Bash...he's practically just a living boulder. Blades here isn't so lucky. In all honesty I think he might've stuck all this stuff to him just to make him look cooler, nothing about survival or anything. If he did he would've covered up this spot right here_—_"

"Shtaph!"

"_—_and right here!"

"C-cut it out!"

"_—_here, here, and here!"

Blades went stiff, legs struck out, tail rigid. After a few heartbeats, his whole body relaxed, tongue flopping right out of his mouth. His wings folded. Benumbed, grass getting into his mouth, the dragon mumbled. "Sha...shapit..."

And then, after rolling over, he was out cold. Eyelids shut, chest moving.

Déjà Vu was hesitant at first, taking steps little by little, but she eventually knelt down next to the flame-haired girl. She reached out a hand to pat Blades' side and giggled. "Neat trick."

"Yeah," Torch nodded, "it comes in handy."

Spyro smiled. It certainly did come in handy. He felt his eyelids starting to close. "Now that that's over..."

"Oh, no you don't!" Scratch yanked his head up by the horn. "You promised these some buckoes some real training_—_not them playing around in a field all-day! Get up and get moving! Take them to an arena, assign them in teams. Do something! Wouldn't want to disappoint your biggest fan, would you?"

The Purple Dragon looked down at Blades, who'd been surrounded by an onslaught of curious Skylanders, poking at his body as if it were a dead rat. Spyro turned and gave Scratch a frown. "No. No, I would not," he mechanically mumbled. His unfurled his wings and flew forth, towards the group of Cores...

...leaving Scratch all the free space in the world.

Once he was nothing more than a purple speck upon other dots and flecks, Scratch gave a satisfied purr, laid back down, crossed her paws, and...

"Spyro! Scraaatch!"

Her ears went up at a squeal. She turned around to find Pop Thorn, running as fast as his little legs could. Scratch held out a paw before he could run into her. "Woah, woah, woah, what's your rush? Where's the fire?"

"Something's going down with Cynder!" he gave a squeak. "A-and Zoo Lou! They're fighting! I-I don't know why!"

* * *

Cloudcracker Prison usually wasn't a place of joy and happiness. It was a prison, not a party. If one was to walk the halls, all that was audible was the enraged screams of inmates as they fought fruitlessly like the caged animals they were, bashing against forcefields. The Trap Masters themselves weren't exactly ones for childish fun and games, unlike a certain team of interchangeable Skylanders. They had one job and one job only: protect the prison. It was a serious responsibility. Such a duty, gratefully given to them by Master Eon, was not to be trifled with. However, once the lunch break hit, the Trap Masters were not as serious as they seemed...

Around this hour, if one was to walk the halls, they would hear chatter, and lots of it. Gathered around a table, they, the Trap Team were having a great feast, prepared by Lob-Star. After making sure everyone in the Water Quadrant was settled in, he'd simply get bored, waddle off into the kitchen, and cook up everything and anything imaginable. All in his spare time! It was truly a surprise. They didn't even know where he got half of the fare! Lavish wines and sweet cordials were poured in clear, crystalline glasses. Wide varieties of tasty foods were laid about the table: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Everything, and it was all for them. A fancy, orchestral tune of their own theme played in the background, creeping out of the speaker on the radio, slow and steady.

Krypt King would've smiled down at his swarm of Undead insects if he had a mouth. They nibbled away at a meaty leg of mutton. Their wings beat in content, mandibles clicking together, antennae wriggling.

Peace. Harmony.

...and only a _few_ annoyances.

"Hey, hey Jawbreaker. Wanna hear a joke?"

"I really don't want to_—_"

"Of course you wanna hear a joke! Okay, so, why do ghosts like elevators so much?"

"Short Cut, you've been repeating the same joke for_—_"

"C'mon, it's easy! Why do ghosts loooove elevators so much?"

"Short Cut, plea_—_"

"Because they lift their spirits!"

Collective groans whisked through the stubby Trap Master's audience,

"Thor almighty," Head Rush, sighing, pinched the bridge of her wrinkling nose. "I swear, if he wasn't already dead, I'd kill him. That's not a threat, that's a promise."

Clapping, Gear Shift gave a little smile. "Well done, that is the thirty-second time you've uttered the same joke..." Her expression fell flat. "...today."

"Funny," Bushwhack snorted, "I thought this was the seventy-second..."

"Oh, no, that score was from last month."

"Ooooogh! Short Cut!" Tuff Luck clenched her claws into fists. Her whiskers twitched in annoyance as she hissed. "I'm gonna pull yer blauddy stuffin' out from yer eyesockets, puppetman! Oh, ye'll be beggin' fer mercy, beggin' on yer lil' munchkin knees! Yore gunna rue the day!"

Wildfire promptly slammed his head onto the table, growling, seething. "RRRAH!" Like a grounded, forlorn teenager, locked inside their room, he screamed his claws. Being apart of the Fire Element, he could be quite hotheaded at times. Most of the time.

Cupping his hands before his mouth, Ka-Boom, lengthily, shouted. "Boooooo!"

"You just had to say it, you just HAD to reply! C'mon, man!" Wallop threw his furry arms into the air. "We could've gone a day without a dumb joke!"

"Bad form, bad form," Gusto tsked and tutted. "Bad joke, too."

"Mildly amusing," Enigma, barely audible, commented.

"Yah ol' rip, you!" Only the leader of the group, Snap Shot smiled, giving a crooked, crocodile grin. Krypt King would've smiled as well, but when you were stuck in hulking, giant suit of armor, things like that didn't come so easy.

Tuff Luck gave a yowl. Feisty, she was. "Miroow! Yes, ol' rip, that'll be tha sound o' me diggin' me claws inta 'is blauddy stitchings! Rip, rip, rip, rippity-rip-rrrip!" Really, really feisty.

Short Cut, satisfied with himself, smirked. "Ah, c'mon, that was a pretty good joke_—_I think that was a good joke!"

"It was a good joke," Snap Shot said with a nod. That was a lie. Hopefully. "A great joke, might I add. Have anymore?"

The others, ever so nicely, shared their thoughts. "NO!"

Snap Shot snickered.

Tuff Luck scowled at the Crocogator, scrunching up her snout, as if she were disgusted by something. Her whiskers twitched.

"What?"

At that, she just rolled her emerald eyes, sat back, and shook her head. "Yeh know, Short Cut," her tail flicked hither and thither, this way and that. Leaning forward, she placed her paws together. " 'Stead o' usin' those wonderful punchlines an' one-liners on us, how 'bout you use 'em on the big baddies in their cells, eh? Knock 'em out with yer comedy act! Literally!"

"Yeah," Bushwhack rose a brow at this, "sounds like a new torture method t'me."

Short Cut just chuckled. "Nope, not up to it. It's more funner with you guys!"

"I believe the phrase that you're looking for, my fabricated friend, is more fun," Blastermind corrected. The bigheaded brainiac was sipping at herbal tea, sifting through the pages of a dusty book, and balancing a few other novels of his massive collection through mid-air. Multitasking at its finest. He could do it all and it only cost one, single, tiny thought.

"I said that!"

His eyes veered away. "Rrriiight."

Before they could start to bicker, the inmates voiced their hourly animosity, of snarls and growls and howls. It could be heard from anywhere in Cloudcracker_—_any nook or cranny. The echo only made it worse. Most were incoherent, mashed together in one, big orchestra of ferocity.

"Oh, bother," Gusto mused, "Poor creatures. With all the whining and crying..." He twisted his lips into a frown. "I say, I'm starting lose my appetite. They're probably hungry. Have they had their fill yet? We could give them seconds."

Tuff Luck, on the other hand, had nothing of the sort. Licking her whiskers clean of fresh ale, she scoffed. "Yew? Losin' yer appetite?" Her voice was laden and lilt with her harsh, thick Irish. It took a while for the other Trap Masters to figure out what she was saying sometimes. "Pssh!" She sputtered out a snicker. "I'll believe it when I see it! Don't feel sorry fer those vermin! Gusto_—_" she poked his big, blue belly_—_"yore jus' gettin' soft! Well, softer..."

"Soft? Hrrump. Well, I never! I am not soft, just...pudgy. Th-this is all muscle!"

"Oh, really?" asked Tuff Luck, though it was more of a chortle than a question. "And tae think that all this time I thought it was blubber!"

"Blubber?!" Gusto, flabbergasted, had to blink a few times, staring at Tuff Luck's smug, little smirk. "Why you little_—_" he cuffed the chuckling cat into a chokehold, badgering her striped head with a big fist. "Blighter!"

This came as no surprise. Today, they were all in good spirits. Krypt King chuckled. As much fun as capturing baddies was, it was nice to take a load off once in a while. Unfortunately, a few didn't exactly agree.

"Alright, enough nonsense. We were called here for a reason, correct? Other than stuffing our faces? You made this sound urgent, Snap Shot," grumbled Thunderbolt.

Wildfire looked up from the raw steak in his claws, red juices and drool dribbling from his maw. He formed a few words around the mouthful. "Wmwhat's wrom wmit smuffing yumr fmace?"

Snap Shot pried open a giant clam, nabbing its stringy meat and popping it into his jaws. "Nothing's wrong with stuffing your face, Wild, but Thunderbolt is right. Gearshift_—_" the Techie flinched when he called her name_—_"how's the tracking been going?"

"It's been going..." The sleek android bit at her lips, only to have a sigh escape from them. She placed her head in her hands. "I lost him. I lost Kaos. I don't even know if he's at his castle anymore; I think he ran away again."

An outburst of dismay erupted from the Masters; fists were slammed and groans sounded,

"No! We were so close!"

"What? How?"

"Just what we needed..."

"Little wretch!"

Thunderbolt's clouds billowed, growing darker and darker. "That rat! That _filthy_ rat! Where'd he run off to now? We can't keep chasing after him forever!"

"Well, what do you want us t'do?" Tuff Luck threw out her paws. "Let him frolic off into the sunset? He's a threat!" she clenched one of them. "He has to go!"

"There are far bigger threats out there. Count Moneybone? Dreadbeard? That one keeps escaping. And are we forgetting the giant, hulking dragon, sauntering around some place in the Underworld?"

"Malefor can't come back! He was defeated!" she rose up two fingers. "Twice! I think he's lost enough dignity."

A debate started, loud and disorderly. Krypt King didn't say a word, sitting back in his chair. His eyes lifted from the swarm, from his meal, and to the chandelier above all of them. Would it really make any different if they did happen to catch Kaos? He was a cockroach, annoying and avid, a pest. Wouldn't he just come back? That was what he did_—_that was what he always did. Sometimes annually.

"'Ey, 'ey!" Snap Shot tapped the side of a Traptanium chalice with the leftover shell of a mussel. "Quiet, be quiet!"

Their squabbling dwindled down into nothing but mumbles and murmurs. Satisfied, he took a sip of wine to clear his throat before speaking again. "He always comes back, mates. Right now he's prob'ly camped out somewhere in the Outlands, like he always is. We didn't lose him, we never did lose him. He'll return back to his lil' castle, like always! Probably just tryin' to work with whatever silly, stupid plan he has up his sleeves. When he does come back, we'll be ready. But we're not ready yet. Like Thunderbolt said, there's plenty of baddies out there, ones who may already have concocted a loopy, doom-destruction plan of ultimate doom. Like that Cardmaster guy! Y'heard about that big adventure the Swappies are goin' on? Think they might catch him for us?"

"WHAT?!" Thunderbolt boomed. "Spyro sent them...and not us?! The professionals?!"

"That's a joke! Hahahah!" Short Cut's laughter soon came to a close when he squinted an eye. "R-right?"

"Yew've got tae be twistin' me blauddy whiskers! Yew've _got_ tae be jokin'!" Tuff Luck exclaimed; her eyes bugged out and her jaws dropped. "He sent the SWAP Force, those sixteen stooges, on a capture mission? Did I miss something? Did I miss April Fools this year? This has got tae be some sort o' joke."

Snap Shot shook his head. "No joke. Why? What's the problem?"

"Well, they're not exactly...err..." Blastermind scrunched his face up, trying to put together the right words. "Problem solvers. I don't even think they're very...secure. There's a fine line between being a Skylander and being something out of a children's cartoon. I'm not one to judge, but you've got to admit that they even look a bit strange. Different, peculiar. Very animated. The way they move, what they say. Why are they all shaped the same way? Why do some of them have noses? Why do some of them _not_ have noses? Why do most of them have three fingers? What even is a hashtag? Like they were created by some sort of alternate being from a different dimension. Like something from another world."

"You're one to talk..." Head Rush said with a smirk. "For someone who doesn't understand comedy, you're being quite the comedian. Irony may just be your strong suit."

"No, no, no," Blastermind tutted, "you've got it all wrong. I'm not trying to insult them or anything. They were here before us, they're supposed to be who we look up to. I'm just making observations. I-I actually think we should invite a few over."

"Why? So you can study them?"

He dropped the books he was levitating. "N-no..."

Head Rush hardened her gaze.

"...yes."

"Please don't. Your failed autopsy on that one titchy toad left Bushwhack in tears."

Said-elf folded his arms. "I wasn't crying. The smell was getting to me."

Blastermind gathered the books back off of the floor with the flick of a hand. "You're telling me you're not the least bit curious of how their intestines work after being sliced in half? How they come out just fine after splitting apart their innards? It's amazing!"

Tuff Luck sniffed. "Disturbing is more like it. What type of ability is that? Just...strange."

"That's why it's so amazing!"

Gusto rubbed his chin. "They are a bit strange. And do cause most of the property damage around Skylands."

"A LOT of the property damage around Skylands. Especially that vampire one. Night Shift, I think," Jawbreaker then shuddered. "He kinda creeps me out. Anyone else notice the bits of blood on his fangs? Sounds like a bad guy to me, not like a senior citizen..."

"Whatever. You're just upset that you lost to a small, old guy," Bushwhack put his hands behind he head and sat back in his chair. "Night Shift's awesome; everyone knows that. We're best buds."

"Is that why he knocked you unconscious when you wouldn't stop following him?"

"An accident. He just confused me for Boom Jet, that's all. We sound alike...very alike."

"So the fact that he actively punches his teammates makes it better?"

"Head Rush does that," Bushwhack shrugged. "It's out of love."

As if to show off her skills, the viking cracked her knuckles. "Definitely out of love."

"You find Night Shift creepy?" Ka-Boom rose a brow. "What about Rattle Shake? With those icy eyes, that flickering tongue. Snakes are freaky. He always gives me a funny look whenever I pass by. What does bonito cañón mean? Isn't that French?"

"Nice cannon," answered Blastermind.

"Oh, so it was a compliment? Alright. Then what does calie_—_"

Tuff Luck snorted. "It doesn't matter. That snake's a sleazeball. He looks at everyone that way. Nearly coiled me up one time. I would've told him tae shove off...if I hadn't had downed too much gat that night. Don't remember what happened after that. Woke up in that 'ellhole they call a home. Worst day ever. I fell to his sly trickery. He's a charmer, I'll give him that. Probably gonna use that tae blackmail me one day. You know 'ow snakes are. They're all the same. I think he stole a bit of my fur, too..."

Snap Shot almost laughed. "_I_ think you've had too much to drink t'day. Rattle Shake was just helping you find your way out of the desert heat. You were disoriented, remember? You two were on a mission. And it wasn't gat_—_whatever that is_—_it was cactus juice."

"Shaddap and stuff a sock in it, Snap. I'm perfectly fine!" the she-cat poured herself another glassful of apple ale, paws almost slipping around the bottle as she seethed." An' I remember that day like it was yesterday! He helped someone all right_—_he helped himself tae all this right 'ere! Don't give me that _two-sides tae every story_ junk, I know what he did!"

He pricked and poked at his teeth with a finger. "Well, I never said that he_ didn't_ have _frisky-kitty-fun _time..."

"Since we appear to be on the topic of pestering Tuff Luck, my favorite subject," Bushwhack grinned, "how did all those missions with Stink Bomb go anyway?"

Tuff Luck gagged on her ale. The she-cat gave a rack of hoarse coughs. After a few pats on the back by Gusto, she wiped her muzzle and pinched her nose so hard it turned red. "Weasels' piss! Just sayin' 'is awful name makes me want t'chunder! Have y'heard? He doesn't even bathe! The rumors say that his real fur color isn't green_—_it's just all the icky gunk stickin' to it! What is he eating? What in Skylands CAN he be eating? Like a living, whoopie cushion, I swear. He never even warns ya ahead of the time. Forget about all those warning stomps an' whatever. He doesn't even give a little peep. It annoys me to no end! Stop givin' me those silly whimpers and just give me a yeller already!"

She started to stab at her salad. "Bloody skunk. Full of hot air. Real shame that has to be taken SOOO literally. And what's with those silly, stupid quotes? It's like he has fortune cookie papers stuck in his pants somewhere. Don't even get me started on when he blabs about Shakespeare. Who even is Shakespeare?"

"What is that I hear? Sounds to me like..." Lob-Star shook his hands around and chuckled. "You question what you fear!"

"Here's one for you, thick'ead," growled Tuff Luck. "A lobster who plucks at a cat's whiskers..." She slammed a hand down. "GETS THROWN INTO A POT AND BOILED ALIVE!"

Lob-Star only laughed harder, banging a hand onto the table. "Such a nice kittycat, hahaha!"

Blastermind cleared his throat. "Excuse me, sorry. I'd hate to share this at the dinner table, but to answer your questions, Stink Bomb is so...full of hot air...because Swampskunks only excrete once a week. Something or other about predators. It's like some sort of lavatory ritual, an adaptation. Quite fascinating, really."

Eating stopped, forks were dropped.

The brainiac glanced around at all of his staring teammates. "...what? It's a fact. She wanted to know."

Snap Shot scrunched up his snout and tilted his head. "And why do you know that?"

"Magna Charge writes about it. Well, I mean, he writes about all of the Skylanders. Apart of a little project he's been doing. I don't know why he makes them if he isn't going to sell them. Not a very sound business practice, if I do say so myself."

"Did he...did he bribe you to say that? I was promised a life supply of wet cat food, but I don't think I ever got it."

"I offered to the sauna. The one up in Frostfest. Who can pass that down?"

"He offered you to the sauna? Bugger."

"The magnethead?" Wildfire growled. "Writing a diary? Hm, makes sense. Very spacey. Exactly who I'd imagine stuffing their face into a book all-day. Either him or the owl. Are we sure all the SWAP Force are male? I swear, that bird wears eyeshadow. They both seem effeminate. Like dainty flowers. I'd compare them to a pair of pretty petunias."

"And that's supposed to mean...?" Head Rush gave him a look.

"It was just a simple observation! A simile, at best!" he exclaimed. As he gnawed on a half-chewed bone, the Fire Claw warrior muttered under his breath. "Women."

A purple staff was sent the golden lion's way, striking down upon his skull.

"OW! Enigma!"

"Apologies. I thought I saw a fly."

Tuff Luck hadn't stopped staring; emerald hues bored into Blastermind's blue hues. She shook her head and looked away with a groan. "Enough, just enough. I'm done. I didn't need that, I didn't need that fact. Just stop. Just no. Just no to all of the Swappers. No, no, no, no."

"What? You mean to say those missions weren't a _gas_?" Bushwhack bared a smile, fighting through bouts of laughter.

"Yeah, yeah!" Short Cut didn't stifle any. "You mean to say that you weren't _blown away _by his Kung Fume skills?"

No words were delivered, as Tuff Luck stuffed a tiny, ranch-drizzled tomato into her mouth.

"Awh, c'mon, Tuff. You're the one who threatened him in the first place. Don't you feel...just a little bit bad about that?"

She scraped her teeth along the prongs of the fork. "I said this conversation was over..."

Before it went on for any longer, the void of silence was filled by Wildfire. "Am I the only one who's annoyed by Fire Kraken? The little, scaly one? His voice is like...like a nightmare. Utterly awful. He never seems to stop jumping around. I wouldn't mind that, but it's the fact that he always gets in my way during battle. And his laugh..." the Fire Claw warrior cringed. "I always have to look around to see if a farmer's pig has been released."

"I think he's...kind of cute," Head Rush said with a smile. "Like a dog. Jumping up at your legs, wet tongue sticking out. He's always gets so upset whenever he remembers he can't take me down like his Spyder friend. I give him a pat on the head every time I see him in the Mainland."

"I think he's a bit...unstable."

"Well, there's no doubt that he's been dropped on his head a few times when he was little."

"A few?"

"Eh," Head Rush shrugged, "he's just a fun guy. Fun dragon. Fun dragon dog guy. Whatever he is. That's all. Better than having the Spyder squawk at you all the time."

"Y'mean the one who has a stick up his thorax? Ohohoh, man, I hate that guy! He's always so uptight! And why does he persist on visiting us after hours?" Short Cut squeezed his scissors, bringing it close. "I think he's plotting something..."

Wallop snickered, nudging the pearl-colored robot next to him. "Probably just wants a lil' bit of some robot hips..."

Gearshift rolled her eyes. "And you people call _them_ childish. Spy Rise is only concerned about the vulnerability of the prison_—_they all are. He doesn't want anyone breaking out. Just worried about his teammates."

Wildfire barked out a laugh and a few chunks of red meat along with it. "Are you serious? It's Traptanium! Unbreakable! That doesn't make any sense! Those buffoons must rot his brain every time they speak. So much for the smart one. Even the Ultron is a screwball!"

"The Ultron? A screwball? Hah," Tuff Luck toyed a spoon around in her fingers, "someone's forgotten about Wash Buckler. It's understandable; he was never very memorable tae begin with. Care tae remind him, Snap Shot?"

"Hold up, wait a minute," Wallop rose a hand. "You can say that Fire Kraken is reckless, you can say that Rattle Shake is a sleazeball, but you CANNOT say that Wash Buckler is a screwball. You've got to give him some major props here. He saw his teammates being ripped in half, he was ripped in half, and now they're still being ripped in half. B-but not before being frozen and then sent to Earth for a kabillion years...and then coming back to Skylands...and being ripped in half! Serious stuff right there. Makes you think."

"Major props? Right there? Stuff?" Tuff Luck crinkled her nose. "Sometimes you even sound like him. Wallop, please, they barely even look the part! Bottom of the barrel. Worst of the worse. I still don't know why Master Eon even picked 'em up! Must've felt bad and took 'em in, like a box of one-legged spiders. Why are they even still here? Tons of other 'landers out there! Mount Cloudbreak doesn't need a bunch of frat boys and their cranky grandpa fer protection anymore! And they're not even doin' that! Yeh want tae know what they're doing? Sitting on sofas, going tae saunas, gobbling on the Chieftess of Woodburrow's food! They're the ones who let Mesmeralda off scot-free! A-and what's their deal anyway?"

"Their deal?"

"Yeah, their deal. Their...their thing. We've got our Traptanium weapons, the Giants have their strength, and what do they have? We can swap our junk around? Yip-yip-yippee? We pop harmless balloons and climb walls for no apparent reason?"

Blastermind put up a finger. "Actually, Fire Kraken and Rattle Shake, being lizards, have hemip_—_"

"Don't want tae hear it! All they do is get in the way of our missions, Wallop, our targets. And that's just what they're doin' now! If The Cardmaster isn't captured it's gonna be all their fault! And then yeh know what will 'appen then? They'll doom Skylands for the second time!"

"Geez, let your fur down, Tuff," Snap Shot said. "Did you wake up on the wrong side again? Someone's hissy today."

Tuff Luck crossed her arms, but didn't say anything else. Clearly, anyway. She only mumbled. "Yeh weren't sayin' that when yeh were nearly mauled by them..."

"Are you still goin' on about that? Is that what this is about? A grudge?"

"I don't know why yore defending them. They outright attacked ya!"

"Because I attacked Wash Buckler. They didn't know what was gonna happen_—_it was an impulse. We were both a little...stupid that day. I was the one who advanced first; it doesn't matter. They felt scared, they felt threatened, so they only did what they felt was right...which was beating the tar outta me. Unfortunately."

"Yup! We had t'save yer scaly hide. How many times did that little, jumpy one bite you? I'm surprised they managed to draw blood. Was quite a sight seeing lil' half-pints kicking yeh around like that. And all because yeh got mad about tripping over a tentacle. Haha, yeh finally gave into my favorite emotion: anger! Not so much of a _cool_ croc anymore, are yew?"

"I apologized, they apologized, and Magna Charge brought us a muffin basket. Everything was resolved."

"Don't think so. I think yew've got yerself into BIG trouble. Deep, deep, dung beetle doo-doo. They always give yeh that glare, that one glare. That muffin basket was laced with something, I just know it."

"Powdered sugar and blueberries. Now that's enough outta you for today. You've barely even touched your food because you've been running that piehole of yours. Being leader of the Trap Masters, I hereby declare that this conversation is finished. No more, we're done here. I don't want to end up turning this into a big bruhaha like the SWA...like how a _certain other team_ would. Understood?"

Unanimous replies answered him. Tuff Luck didn't say anything.

"Good."

And with that, the feast continued. Annoyances included.

"Hey, Jawbreaker, what do y'call a fake noodle?"

* * *

How could this have happened? How did he let this happen?

_You lied to us._

He had changed. He joined the Skylanders; he'd changed!

_You're a liar, a cheat. Self-indulged, scheming. _

Every word was like teeth pricking at his flesh_—_vampire's teeth.

Stinging, stinging pain, coursing through everything in his being. Teeth gnawing at his heart.

_You have no honor. You are a snake. _

Ripping it up, chewing it up, spitting it out.

His eyes were locked onto the stiff body of Freeze Blade, spread out onto his back, arm just peeking out from under the covers. He looked as if he about to go under surgery, filled with anesthesia, numbed. If only that was the case. They were no doctors, no surgeons, not even nurses, but they'd cut open his arm anyway. Rattle Shake winced at what they'd done, what he'd done. The stitches were starting to rip, as viscous, green ooze seeped out at its seams, trickles of red intertwined. It was even a wound anymore, just a big mess. Anyone could take one look_—_just one, little look_—_and automatically tell that it didn't look good. It was obvious that no professionals went a single step toward the cut. Atrocity, not a cut. Whatever they did, they weren't supposed to do.

No matter how hard he tried to turn away, haunting eyes bore right into his skull, right through him. Rattle Shake could practically feel the heat venting from him. He usually liked the warmth, the sun shining down on his scales...

This wasn't like that. This wasn't like that at all.

On the outside, his skin was being toasted; on the inside, he was chilled to the bone. Something tensed his stomach, twisting, toying. He put a hand there when it screamed at him. Not an undigested rodent, not a fish swimming in his acids from a day ago.

Only shame. Only guilt. Only sickness.

He didn't feel right. He didn't like this_—_he didn't want this! Rattle Shake tossed his tongue about in his mouth. The taste was dreaded. His own medicine, his own poison. Seeping, seeping, slowly. Through his fangs, into his gums. He hadn't tasted it so strong in years. Filling, filling, quickly. Tainting his shirt, tricking from his chin.

"What is wrong, old friend? Tummy trouble? Did I happen punch you there too hard? What is the matter?"

Night Shift's voice was cold, heartless. Like usual? Not exactly. If they hadn't had that fight, it would've been the same_—_it would've been normal. Rattle Shake would've just shrugged it off as a smug quip, said that he was being a bitter loser. This was not the case. His scaly lips formed nothing of the sort. Just a sigh and only a sigh.

Even if there was hope, it wouldn't matter. Night Shift held grudges like nobody's business. He'll remember anything and everything said or done to him. A flick in the ear? A snide remark?

_"Justice has been served," he always said, hovering over the writhing body on the ground._

He truly did think he what he did was the right thing. It was as if he was a rampaging cop, tossing out punishments like they were candy. But those were usually mild...by Night Shift's standards. Rattle Shake's fine wouldn't be so pleasant; he knew that much.

The ice grew in the vampire's throat, crawling up. "If he lives, I won't forgive you. If he dies..." his words ebbed away into a deep growl. "You know what happens next."

Rattle Shake swallowed down some venom. It stung a little. "You are blinded by hatred, you have always been. That is your weakness. Freeze Blade has found a way right into your soft spot. You believe I might take him away from you. Now you are _driven_ by your emotions. I understand how you feel, Night Shift," he clenched the wrinkles in his clothing. "You're disappointed—I'm disappointed with myself. But why must you insist on spitting...out these horrid words? Why must you keep reminding me of everything I was before? I didn't mean for any of this to happen. I never meant for ANY of this."

Night Shift chuckled. Dry, low, and rumbling. Not out of amusement. "Are you trying to make me sympathize with you? Pulling a sobstory out of your tailhole?"

"Just let me talk. Just let me get my word in. Give me a chance, Night Shift!"

"No, no, too many chances," he shook his head. "We've given you enough. I will not let this team suffer from another one."

Rattle Shake breathed out something, not quite a sigh, not quite a huff. "I've realized what I've done, Night Shift. I know I am not as good as a Skylander should be_—_I shouldn't even be a Skylander. But, please, just know that I am not everything that you have heard. That was a long time ago. I just didn't..." He pressed his hat to his chest, eyes closing. "I didn't know the value of my own strength, of my abilities. I didn't know that so many people looked up to me as their role model. I didn't know that I was their hero. I was a fool; that was all I was. A fool who wanted nothing more to do with life. A fool who gave up on everyone. A fool who drowned out his sorrows with poison. A fool who was..." the snakeslinger coiled his tail. "...just like his father."

His father was his role model; he was his hero. It was really no wonder how he ended up that way. Like father like son. Whatever he did, Rattle Shake followed. Wrestling bulls? Check. Fighting crime? Check. Becoming a lowlife who sits around in the sun, plucking at the strings of a little guitar all-day? Check. It should've been obvious. He always said he wanted to be just like him. And what happened? Everything happened so quickly; everything just went down the drain. Becoming nothing more than a clown, hiding away in his house all-day, forced to steal food just to feed himself, pickpocketing when he couldn't find that food, slithering away from the authorities whenever they got too close. Check, check, check, check, check. Grade-A scumbag. It wasn't his fault, was it? Certainly it couldn't have been. He often found himself having wars with his own mind. One half would constantly snap at him, telling him he could've been so much more, he could've been so much better. The other would stay quiet, talking in whispers, going along with everything he did or said. They just wouldn't shut up. Barking back and forth like slobbering Seadogs.

His solution? His father's solution. The best kind, of course.

Not psychiatric help. Not therapy.

It all started with a saloon.

And there was a sip, which turned into a swig, and then a swallow, and then a gulp, and then quaff, and then...the bottle was empty. And it was replaced, again and again, day after day. The cure to his ailment. _Just a little lick_, he always said, it _can't do any harm. _

He was always wrong. It always ended up hurting, him or someone else. Every time he woke up in a tavern he was always in someone's grasp, about to be booted out by angry squidfaces and Seadogs. On one occasion he'd bitten someone and had to slink away before he could get dragged off by flatfeet. No matter. He didn't stop. Why would he? He needed it to survive_—_he needed it to make him feel better. But that was what he thought before he came across Master Eon. Before he came across him _several_ times. First time in a criminal speakeasy, the second time in the middle of the desert, and the third he found the Portal Master watching him sleep! That had been plenty.

His streak was off and on ever since he became a Skylander, ever since Master Eon took him in. It wasn't long until he came to realize that Wash Buckler suffered from the same thing. Why, of course. He was raised by pirates; they probably stuffed him with seaweed grog when he was just a mere inkling. When they weren't stopping mindcontrolled Mabu or foiling a evildoers plans, the two were conversing about their childhood, what they did, how their parents were. Nothing too crazy, nothing too wild...

...until the Darkness took over. Until it toyed with Wash Buckler.

After every outburst, he became depressed, skin the shade of a sickly blue. He couldn't stand what it did to him, how it made him change; he couldn't bare the frightened looks of his teammates, how they scrambled away from him. The Mermasquid always came to Rattle Shake, seeing as the usual therapist, Stink Bomb, started getting more and more wary, more and more scared. The snakeslinger didn't know how to aid the Mermasquid's troubles, but tried to sympathize with his leader. Small-talk turned into chatter and chatter turned into blather.

The cure had been revisited.

They both woke up to the sounds of an angry Spyder: clanking legs, squeaking gears, electricity crackling, and smoke bursting from vents._ Yap, yap, yap, yap, yap_, which roughly translated into: "Are you serious? We're supposed to be saving Skylands and you're down here gorging yourself with this awful sludge! Get up, get up, get up! This is disgusting_—_you're disgusting!" Usually the same rant every time. Yes, this happened on a multitude of occasions. They laughed it off. What did he know? Even the Spyder, the robot, got a taste for wine once in a while. Luckily, for their sake, they stopped. Soda came to Wash Buckler's aid, but not Rattle Shake's. Nothing quite fit for him. Was it the end? Was it finally over? It seemed so.

When they got to that Seadog bar, however...

Rattle Shake couldn't remember how many he had. Three, maybe? Five, maybe? More than everyone else, certainly. It must've been more; as soon as they got upon the Malicious Mongrel, he blacked out for a bit. A while. A long time. In the middle of the night, he awoke to a dampened bed and anxious claws poking at him. The blurred image of Fire Kraken_—_or at least someone who looked like him_—_was flapping his gums. Rattle Shake couldn't comprehend most of what he was saying, but the snakeslinger could tell that he was worried. Frightened, even.

He hated when he gave him that look, when they all gave him _that_ look. With the big, wide eyes, the gaping mouth. Rattle Shake remembered telling him to go back to bed, not to worry. He was fine.

Maybe not.

When Rotclaw asked him if he wanted a drink, he politely declined, but that didn't mean anything. In fact, a few days after he'd gathered a few bottles from beneath the Mongrel and stuffed them into a spare barrel so no one got suspicious. But even then he couldn't drink them. Every time the rim touched his lips, he didn't allow for the poison to trickle down his throat. He had to be strong for the team, for his family. If something happened to go wrong, he wouldn't do much good while intoxicated.

_I'm not doing much good while sober, either, _he thought. _Was_ he sober? Did he have a few drinks before this whole ordeal? The night before? He couldn't remember. All he remembered was storytime with Stink Bomb and then suddenly out jumps a wild Snapper. Perhaps this truly was all his fault. He knew about all the possibilities, all of the possibilities in the world. Why hadn't he just told them? He just didn't know why it slipped his mind. Why, why, why? It didn't make any sense. How could he have been so dumb? No, no, he wasn't the one to blame. There was a 50/50 chance. If he just outright said that Freeze Blade might die tonight, how would they have reacted? They would've turned on him, they would've looked at him as if he were a monster.

Rattle Shake wrinkled the brim of his hat and poked his tongue into his cheek. "I've changed, Night Shift, whether you believe think so or not. I am not the snake I used to be." Lies, lies, lies. Slinking out from his teeth like slime.

"Yes, yes, dramatic childhood. Oh, sure, everyone else had a charmed existence. No one happened to be a circus boy, no one was thrown away like trash. Our leader definitely isn't a orphan. No, no, no, that is silly. Of course it is only you. You are the ONLY one who had such an awful life. You are the ONLY one who should be recognized for it. You are the ONLY one we should care about. Rattle Shake's such a special snowflake!"

Something went off in his head. A click. Snowflake.

Rattle Shake sucked some blood off his bottom lip. "You liked the snow, didn't you?"

"What?"

"The snow, winter. You always wanted to experience it, but Batcrypt never got any snow."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"Your mother named all of her Persian cats Snowflake. You hated them; you always wanted a dog."

"What are you even going on about?! Did I fracture your skull or something?!"

"You did that to one of your eldest brothers."

Night Shift focused a glare onto the snakeslinger. Button pushed, string pulled. He muttered. ".._._you son of a b_—_"

Rattle Shake silenced him by the quiver of his tail. He wanted to smirk, but his lips wouldn't let him_—_not in this sort of situation, not in front of Night Shift. His humor did not falter, however. "I am no son of a she-beard, but I am the one of a viper. That should have been obvious."

"And you're still making quips?" Night Shift rose a brow. "While you're looking down on someone who might just become a corpse? A little morbid for you."

"I must remain positive. You should, too. Freeze Blade is always positive in a situation like this."

"You think reminding me of my childhood is going to make me think positive?"

His shoulders shrugged a little. "Sí...?"

Night Shift sighed, putting a boxing glove to his forehead. "Are you really that desperate? I know what you're thinking_—_I know what you're going to do. You're going to compare our oh-so humble beginnings and you're going to say, 'hey, we're not so different after all!' That is what you are trying to do, and that is what you are failing miserably at! Don't you get it? Do you not understand, Rattle Shake? This is real life, this isn't your little playground, and I am not one of those dumb broads you can just woo over!"

"Hey, hey, hey! Be quiet!" Rattle Shake hissed in a hushed whisper. "Those two over there are still watching us and I'd rather not get into any more trouble!"

"Any more trouble? Any_ more_ trouble?!" the vampire gave a laugh, the same one from before. Only out of spite, not out of amusement. He prodded the snakeslinger in the chest, though it was more of a light punch than a poke. Light punch by Night Shift's standards. "Are you serious? Where do you see yourself after this, Rattle Shake? Living the high life? Sipping fruity tequilas and margaritas? No problems, no worries? Inexplicably find yourself under the sheets with an Ultron, so you can cross it off your filthy bucket list? You expect me to just forget about this and go on about my afterlife?"

Rattle Shake nodded. "That would be the wise thing to do."

"No!" he shouted. "That isn't going to happen because that's ridiculous, idiotic and laughable! Do you honestly think we're going to forgive you for this? Do you think everyone is just going to forget this whole ordeal ever happened? Do you think Master Eon is just going to shrug this off like it was some sort of accident?"

Boom Jet interjected. "He does make some good points. I mean, I don't think anyone's going to trust you after this. You could've told us a just a smidgen earlier, doncha think?"

"Ya could say that," Fire Kraken added in, "b_uuuu_t I think all this snake-talk is gettin' a little too harsh. That's like me calling you a dirty rat with no respect for others and only cares about himself."

"Hey, I respect people! I respect people all the time! I just gave you an awkward hug!"

"Mmeh. Lackluster is more like it..."

With that, they started to argue...and the two Undead continued without a second glance,

"I already said I didn't mean for this to happen! What else do you want from me?! A fruit basket?!"

"I want you to suffer! I want you gone!"

His tail began to quiver and he flicked his tongue out at the vampire. Night Shift didn't even flinch, wearing the same expression he always had.

Fists risen.

Rattle Shake didn't stifle any of the venom seeping out from his jaws.

Teeth bared.

And then there was a mumble. "...stop fighting."

Their heads turned to the lump on the bed. Kicking, rolling, and murmuring. "N-no, stop it, get away from them..."

Rattle Shake's heart leapt; he was certain everyone else's did as well. A sense of relief swept over him and hope filled him.

Freeze Blade was alive. Not hibernating, not in a coma, not in an infinite time loop, but alive!

* * *

_"But there's a ninety-percent chance of it erupting with us there! We won't be able to escape in time! Who knows what it'll do to us? No one knows! You want to know why? It's because no one's ever come back to tell the tale, Wash Buckler! We could be disintegrated, we could be destroyed, we could get deserted__—__we could die!"_

_"We have to do something, Spy Rise. Those Vipers are out there for us, and only us."_

The world was spinning. The earth was shaking. It was dark, gloomy.

_"Fire Vipers have a one-track mind. If they don't find what they're looking for, they'll just slither back to which they came!"_

_"But what about the Mount Cloudbreak plan? You were the one who found that out yourself! If we're not there protecting it, Empress Kalamity will take it over!"_

_"Why are you so hardheaded and stubborn? _

_"Because I actually care about Skylands! You just feel as if you've been wronged by the universe!"_

_"What?! So you're saying that I DON'T care about Skylands?!"_

Why was it so dark? Why did it hurt? Why did it hurt so much? Why did it hurt everywhere?

His eyelids pried themselves open, slow and steady. He could barely see anything, just a bunch of blurs smeared on a fogged mirror. Furry, shaggy shapes, littered here and there and everywhere, waving things around like madmen. The clearest shape was the one in front of him. Rocky, gray shape, glowing green, slinging and swinging something around. None of that mattered to him. Where was Wash Buckler? No blue forms, no tentacles, no nothing. There was supposed to be noise. Where was the noise? Had Mount Cloudbreak deafened him?

He tried to lift himself up. No dice.

Spy Rise didn't even try to stifle the wail that ripped from him. It hurt him, it hurt his throat, his chest. Something was moving, right before his eyes. It became clearer. His legs were just twitching, uselessly, fruitlessly. Yellow sparks hopped off the mechanical, golden hide and smoke seeped out their openings. They kicked up oil, the inky substance drifting out from below him. What'd gone wrong? Where was Wash Buckler? He pulled one leg back, scraping up splinters across the floor, and then the other. The two in the front ceased their spasms, coming to a crackling halt. He needed to find Wash Buckler. He needed to push himself up with his hands...

...which he couldn't feel at all. Everything from the shoulder and down just felt off.

Off indeed.

Some pieces of his arms' exterior were popped out of place_—_some were just dangling_—_and revealed what lied inside. Wires had been ripped out of place; red crossing with white, blue crossing with black, they were all tangled in knots, slashed apart, sliced and diced. Scratches split across his chest, which looked as if it had tried pull away from his body. Half-pried open, half-wide open!

He couldn't move them. There was no connection.

It was then when his vision started to cut in and out, in and out. His hearing came back with no warning. Gruff howls, maddened shouts, battle cries! The Spyder flinched and hit his head against some bars. Vision returned. He only hit his head again. What was happening before him was like nothing he'd ever seen before. Skylanders, Seadogs, all on one, tiny, little space! Fiery bombs were lobbed, casting fur into the air and bodies off the side of the ship. Legs hopped about, paws poked and pricked by spiky caltrops. Corsairs' chests were rammed into by a charging hammer. Electricity pulsed right through waves of pirates, causing a chain reaction. Seadogs cried out in pain when sharp, silvery fangs appeared out of no where and snapped down upon their limbs. Some were shot at by blasts of plasma, others were pounded to the ground by fists.

Doom Stone was the one who stood before him, back turned, as he bludgeoned the skulls of Seadogs when they got near. Teeth shot right out of their maws like little, white rockets. They stumbled back from the force, landing themselves out the pot and into the fire, as more Skylanders were right behind them.

"...D-doom Stone?!" Spy Rise finally voiced his confusion. "What are we...what are we doing here? D-did we make it? Where's Wash Buckler?"

"Still lost. I think he might get a bit scarier by the second."

"Lost? Where'd we lose him? How'd we lose him?"

A hearty chuckle roared out from the stone gladiator. "Lost him to the Darkness, dummy. And to think you always said I was bad at expressions!"

Oh.

Right.

This wasn't The Splitting. These weren't the Glory Days.

Just modern day.

"But don't worry!" Doom Stone exclaimed over the sound of battle. "He's gettin' a little tired out from all the fighting...or he's either gettin' more pumped up from the fighting. I can't tell. Been beating these puppies senseless for hours. The big man doesn't wanna come down here himself. So we thought why not just humor him until he gives in. I'm starting t'think that might not have been a good idea." He shrugged it off with another laugh. "Oh well! Sure is fun bashing these numbskulls heads in though! Feels great! Sorry if you're getting a bit of a splash zone back there, pal. Their slobber goes everywhere!"

Spy Rise wasn't exactly listening to his ramble, and it didn't help that his hearing wasn't up to par. Whatever Wash Buckler did to him, he definitely, without a doubt, had hit too many things he wasn't supposed to. _Too_ many. The Spyder knew he wouldn't be getting up anytime soon. But that didn't mean much to him. Ready for anything, a spy always had a few tricks up their sleeve. Desperate times called for desperate measures. A Spyder Mine produced itself from behind him. Skittering forth, it nearly slid upon thick oil. With a click, it settled down next to him.

Not the average mine.

No, no, no. He wasn't just about to blow up the Mongrel! That would do more harm than good!

This was simple, easy. Brilliant. Bright.

Huffing out a sigh, Spy Rise sat back, resting upon the rails. The Crackler Mine was more of an escapist's trick than an pyrotechnic's explosive. Well, technically it_ was_ an explosive, but everything would end up fine. There would be a flash, a crackle, lots of pretty colors, and everyone would be ducking for cover. Obviously, Fire Kraken had most of the input on the invention. Something to_ ooo_ and _awe_ at...right before being bombarded. It'd all end up just fine, though. He knew what he was doing. Everything would be fine.

_"We're going to be fine, Spy Rise. I'm sure of it. Trust me."_

Just fine.

* * *

_Torch is now officially Hiccup from HTTYD. Confirmed._

_Don't worry, OOC Trap Masters are only acting like this for the sake of the plot. A rivalry of sorts. It'll basically just be Wash Buckler and Tuff Luck going at each others' throats when the time comes__. __Team bonding, if you will. Still can't believe that Krypt King was labeled as 'Chop Chop Daddy' back during in Giants' development. _

_Sounds like a nice idea for a fanfic(nope, nope, nope, nope). Still makes me giggle, though. And yes, if anyone remembers, going back to Bad Beginnings, Patches was found on the outskirts of a village because Seaslit didn't make it. Infected scar, eating though her skin, mange and disease and scurvy and whatnot. I'll go in-depth later. Patches only proclaims that he was dumped so he could sound cooler. Orphans in fiction, y'know? Yes, Organic Beings is indeed connected with Trek. And why yes, I did watch a baby sloth video before coming up with that interesting Swampskunk fun fact._

_...LiteFox is so very mature. _


	23. The Backstabbed and The Backstabees

**_*scrambles out of procrastination hole, stops playing SC, shoves aside Spitfire and Stormblade* I LIIIVVVE!_**

**_Alright, y'know the drill here. I'm LiteFox, I'm sorry for leaving for so long, Superchargers is fun, console controls make me want to lose my mind, everyone's Skyfics are so GARSHDARN AMAZING, blah-blah-blah.  
_**

**_Just read. And enjoy. Hope it's not too lackluster or anything. I'm probably just beating myself up, though. I'm feeling guilt-stricken. Severely guilt-stricken. This chap was supposed to finish off with a big DWB and Cards fight, but it just got too cluttered. Until next time. _**

* * *

_Gracilis, fatalis, and populator._

_The smilodon, or saber-toothed cats, were known for their upper canines, long, __monster-like teeth that curved down like sabers. Robustly-built, sporting their muscular frames, neon stripes, and other fur patterns. Their jaws, vise-like and strong, clutched the flesh of almost anything they could sink their sharp claws into. Despite most living solitary lives, smilodon often banded together in clans, following their code of honor, creating a hierarchy._

_They were not know for, however, taking said trips with a skunk kit. A twelve-and-a half year old skunk kit. Who wouldn't stop whining, who squeaked at every, little sound of a twig snapping, who wanted to hitch a ride onto his back whenever he got too tired, who wouldn't stop whining, who gave him headaches every day, who kept him up in the middle of the night with his constant kicking, who wouldn't stop whining, who kept getting on his nerves, WHO JUST WOULDN'T STOP WHINING!_

_A complete and utter nuisance. _

_Suffice to say, Trap Shadow, former leader of one of the biggest clans in all of Cloudbreak, __was not having a pleasant experience with his...so-called ex-best friend and faux brother. He carded his claws across his face, dragging down his eyelids. _"_Why didn't you just go when we were in outsider town?_" he felt as if he was asking the question for the fifteenth time.

_"WHAAAT?!" __Stink Bomb had already gone off into some bushes. Far, far away from Trap Shadow; the hunter had made sure of that. But seeing as he was indeed far, far away from Trap Shadow, the skunk could only barely hear him. Making matters worse, they were supposed to be incognito, quiet and stealthy, to make sure they weren't being followed by any...suspicious characters. Screaming across the trees like howler monkeys was not apart of the plan. But, then again, neither was a bathroom break. _

_"WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST GO WHEN WE WERE IN THAT GILLMAN VILLAGE?!__"__ Now the sixteenth time. _

_"BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE TO PIDDLE THEN!_"

_He groaned. Trap Shadow also felt as if he'd heard that same response fifteen times. _

_"A-and well..._" _Stink Bomb's voice hushed itself into a sheepish whisper._ "_...because all that apple cider went right through me..."_

_"What did I tell you? This is why I don't gorge myself with all that__—_"

"_All that outsider garbage, I know. But i-it tasted SO good. And the yogurt! The frozen yogurt! I mean, we didn't even have to go all the way to Frostfest for it!_"

_His eyes shot open and his ears shot up. _"_Oh, Stink Bomb,_" _he slapped a paw onto the bridge of his snout. "You didn't..."_

_"I couldn't help myself! The people there, they insisted! I couldn't say no!"_

_Trap Shadow dug his claws into his head and gave the ground a good kick. Just what he needed. __The two were going to be stopping again...and again...and again. Several times. At this rate, they weren't ever going to reach their destination. They weren't going to get ANYWHERE. Even if they did, Stink Bomb would probably drop down, curl into a ball, and whimper about his 'oh so poor, wittle stomach'._

_In all honesty, the smilodon was beginning to regret his decision of teaming up with his ex-best friend and faux brother. The only thing he proved useful for was clearing a room and knocking out unsuspecting foes. That may have just been the only reason they were still traveling together__—t__hat had to be the only reason. Trap Shadow liked being alone and was starting to miss having a den all to himself. The thought of leaving the squealer behind crossed his mind often. Perhaps he shouldn't have accepted that offer, perhaps he should've stuck to being a rogue. So what if his own clan left him; it wasn't like they were helping him much anyway. Being a loner was better than being stuck with a skunk. _

_However..._

_...that skunk did know his way around Cloudbreak...and that skunk knew how to make a good shelter...and that skunk knew how to heal wounds with all those funny poultices...and that skunk was pretty amusing at times...and that skunk could cook all kinds of food. _

_Trap Shadow licked his chops. Mmhm, doraryaki. _

_He'd keep him...for now. Stink Bomb was like a pet, almost. An admittedly talented, but annoying, pet. Maybe even a little brother? No, no, he wouldn't go that far. Not again. Never again. Trap Shadow cupped a claw before his muzzle to call back. __"Are you finished yet?__"_

_"I haven't found a good bush yet!__"_

_"Just find ANY bush! There's tons of them!__"_

_"But what if they're filled with spiders? O-or wasps? Or spiderwasps?!__"_

_He clapped a claw to his forehead. __"There's no such thing as spiderwasps...__" Although he did wish there were. Perhaps they could've stung the skunk, made him hurry up a bit. Spiderwasps. Yeah, he was going to save that for later. Scaring Stink Bomb might not have always been a good idea, but seeing him squeak was quite amusing. At times. Trap Shadow sighed; he'd been doing that a lot. __"__Just hurry it along, please. We've got another river to cross and I'm not carrying your stinky hide this time.__"_

_"__There were snapping turtles in that water, I swear! They might've even been kappa! Or-or even...__"_

_Trap Shadow, growing tired of the conversation, chose to ignore the rest of the skunk's cries, blocking them out entirely. Much better. Absentmindedly scratching away at a tick on his neck, he looked up. Why was he getting so frantic? The sky was still blue, the sun was out. They'd have enough time...right? Being a wild animal...unfortunately Trap Shadow had no concept of time. For him, there was only morning, sunset, and nighttime. No in-betweens. Neither did Stink Bomb, even though he'd grown up along those who were spoonfed __for a few years. Never mind the time. Something felt...off about this place. It looked like any normal forest, any normal place for woodland critters to frolic around. For once, he was the one being paranoid. _

_But with good reason._

_Everyone in the world seemed to be after them. A hard knock life, as Stink Bomb called it. Smilodon, crocogators, every hunter and their mother wanted a piece of them. Not in a good way. In a __"you look like an interesting find__" or __"you look edible__" type of way. Though most of them were directed at Stink Bomb. Nearly ALL of them were directed at Stink Bomb. Swampskunks were becoming exceptionally sought after in this new age. __Even a few, straggling foxes kept badgering him, asking if Stink Bomb was on sale, if Stink Bomb was up for trade. __Stink Bomb this, Stink Bomb that. Trap Shadow had to snarl at them to make them all go away. It was so strange, so alien, to be jealous of someone who was below him; a mere omnivore. All of this just stemmed from the rumors about him being some sort of fabled creature, some sort of a cryptid. He was a regular skunk! Just a smelly skunk and nothing more..._

_...though something clawed at him from the inside whenever he thought about just...handing him over to any old coldblooded carnivore or sick and twisted collector. They were going to kill him. Skin him, cook him, and eat him. Or cut him up, disembowel him, and sell his parts. Either way, Stink Bomb would die. A horrible, awful death. Mauled or dissected, taken apart or devoured. He was betraying his own species, backstabbing them. Trap Shadow didn't know why he cared__—__he should've have cared. But he just...did. _

_The only customers who seemed suitable enough were...the Skylanders. Even they wanted Stink Bomb on their ragtag team. Who were the Skylanders? __A strange bunch of wacky-looking creatures, ones he'd never seen before in the forests he'd called home. He had only seen a few of them and suspected there may have been more, only adding to his unease. _

_The first one he'd ever laid eyes upon was a floppy, blue thing with a multitude of legs, that seemed to stick to anything they touched. He didn't seem like that much of a threat__—__he shot bubbles for gods' sake__—__but the short, curvy knife he held looked like it could slice through flesh and the dark liquid that seeped out from him looked like poison. He smelled a bit like bad fish. __Trap Shadow gave them all mental nicknames to help him remember who they were. He called that one Pweza, which meant octopus in his tribe's ancient tongue. Pweza didn't have the attributes of an alpha male, but those in his pack followed him, near and far. Trap Shadow still doubted he was an alpha._

_ The second one was a man made of fire, whom he called Jua, which meant sun. __He looked like that of a warrior, a knight, and held black bombs in each hand. His mouth spat out flames. This one confused Trap Shadow the most. Jua had looked artificial, like one of those metal beings he and Stink Bomb crossed paths with from time to time, and yet he still blinked, he talked without any strange filter, and knew jokes that appeared to make Pweza laugh from time to time. __It hurt Trap Shadow's eyes to look at him for so long, so he hadn't had a good description of him just yet. Jua had a scent like that of charcoal. He had the workings of a true leader; fast and strong and fearsome._

_The third one was a snake, who had a tail that quivered and shook like a maraca. __Trap Shadow called him Nyoka. He may have looked the most frightening, but he kept acting like he was more of a comedian rather than the lethal predator he was supposed to be. Despite this, Nyoka, every time he appeared, made Stink Bomb skunk himself more often than not. Trap Shadow usually hissed and smacked him aside the head when he did, but even he had to admit...that snake looked like he was hiding something. He had a bit of a musty scent, but Trap Shadow couldn't quite his finger on what it reminded him the most of._

_The fourth and fifth were both young avian, birds only roughly a few years of age. One was an owl, Bundi. He had big, round eyes and a dangerously curved beak, but did not appear to be in any suitable state be a predator, let alone a threat of any kind. Not with that strange accent or that ludicrous attire. Bundi had the faint smell of nectar-ridden flowers. As much as he hated Stink Bomb's stench, whatever was drifting off of Bundi made Trap Shadow want to hack up hairballs. __Bundi enjoyed waving that strange, magic stick of his at unsuspecting Cyclopes more so than nibbling at mouse flesh. Quite the scouter, though. Stink Bomb doubted it, but Trap Shadow could've sworn they were being snooped out by him. Why else would they keep being awoken by pestering owl noises? That all sounded the same? There couldn't be just one owl that followed them around. It didn't make much sense to him. _

_Kuku was the fluffy, orange one. He hadn't lost all of his hatchling feathers yet, but looked to be around the same age as Bundi. A sparkling crest in the shape of a lightning bolt hung off the back of his head and his eyes looked almost like that of Trap Shadow's and Stink Bomb's. But this didn't mean the smilodon trusted him. __Kuku? A cuckoo bird, indeed. He often disobeyed Pweza's orders, running off to do whatever he wished. He carried peculiar-looking blades in his hands, could make his legs transform into a tornado, and had the ability to summon lightning. Almost like that of an ancient Air god. But that didn't mean anything either. Kuku carried the odor of prey, of poultry. Incredible powers or not, Kuku was probably very, very delicious. Trap Shadow often wondered what such a bird what taste like and if he'd gain any of those electricity-controlling abilities._

_Despite all this, Stink Bomb just called them Wash Buckler, Blast Zone, Rattle Shake, Hoot Loop, and Free Ranger. Those were the most stupidest names Trap Shadow had ever heard of, so one could see why he never addressed the Skylanders as such. Whoever this Master Eon character was really needed a reality check. No one was ever going to be afraid of someone named Hoot Loop. Well, perhaps Stink Bomb..._

_He was disturbed from his thoughts by the sound of a growl._

_His ears sprang up in alert and his fur prickled. Lifting his snout, he took in huge amounts of air. A freshwater stream, the fish that swam in it, grazing sheep, a newborn litter of leverets, and...__was that a hint of skunk urine?_

_No one. Nothing stirred._

_He looked down. __Stomach, he presumed, and gave it a poke. He could feel a bit of a rib poking back at him. Trap Shadow hadn't been eating much at all. Truth be told, the sabertoothed cat wasn't quite used to hunting alone. Sure, he could snare anything that moved, but running, leaping, and pouncing just gave him a real thrill. Now Trap Shadow had been forced to only snatch up little budgies and bunnies every, few weeks. A light diet, that he'd, surprisingly, gotten used to. Only stopping to mark around a territory. __When really was his last meal? He had to think about it. Was it that fish he found on the ground...or nest of eggs that fell out of the tree? That didn't matter. All he knew was that he was hungry now and needed to grab something to snack on. Maybe even some water while he was at it. Today was an absolute scorcher. It felt as if his fur was roasting right off. __Having to listen to Stink Bomb complain about "all this humidity" made it even worse. _

_T__he king-sized rucksack he was giving a piggy back ride to didn't help either..._

_Trap Shadow set his jaw, wiping over a brow. His mouth felt dry, his throat felt scratchy, and his stomach felt emptier than usual. It wouldn't hurt to settle down for a little bit, would it? "Not like Greenie is gonna be gettin' up any time soon..._" _he mumbled, letting the rucksack slide right off his back. Sitting down, he began to rummage though his things. It'd been filled to the brim with everyday necessities. A first-aid kit, bottles of water, and...was that a juice box? He hadn't packed that. "He must've left his bag open...for the thousandth time,"_ _Trap Shadow mused. His prediction proved correct, as he found just what he was looking for. _

_It was a soft, velvety kiddie knapsack, adorned by protruding, fake bunny ears, fake, button-bunny eyes, a fake, stitched-in pink nose, and a fake, bunny cottontail. Fakety, fake fake fake. Why would one want something they carry things in to be themed after a prey item? Why would one want something so stupid in the first place? With its dumb teeth made from slabs of fabric, its blush plastered on the sides of its cheeks. Only half of the whiskers remained glued on, as the other set was played with whenever Stink Bomb was bored. He must've yanked them off. After all, he was only ten-years old back when they found it in an alleyway dumpster. That seemed so long ago, when they'd just started their travels. When he always made Stink Bomb sleep outside, when he bonked him on the head for bringing along useless playthings._

_He fought a bit of a smile that tried to force its way onto his face. Just how old was he back then? Trap Shadow shook his head; he was getting distracted. Find some food, that was his main priority at the moment. That and getting a move on but that didn't seem to be happening any time soon. Stink Bomb had spent almost half an hour playing in a strawberry field yesterday, so Trap Shadow wasn't exactly keeping his hopes up._

_Unzipping the bunny, baby bag, the first thing he pulled out was a chocolate bar. Milk chocolate. Unsafe for Stink Bomb. __He scoffed, a sound of disgust. It didn't make any sense. How could one stuff their face with processed, outsider filth, wear clothes that make them look like a buffoon, put shoes on, and yet not use an actual toilet? One of those fancy flushing machines. Because it sounded SCARY, because it was STRANGE. Trap Shadow could've said the same about that tiny twerp. Well, certainly not the scary part, but definitely the strange part. Stink Bomb was an wild animal, just like him. Raised in the forest, crafted by Mother Nature. He did not belong living amongst those...those handfed softies._

_N-not that Trap Shadow cared about him or anything. Not at all._

_Using his claws, shoveling up dirt with ease, he dug a sizable hole and dropped the candy bar into it. Plenty more where that came from, as Trap Shadow wasn't quite finished cleaning out the bag. He created two piles: the Worthy and the Unworthy. Everything worthy would go back into the bag, everything unworthy would decompose underground. _

_Cup of pineapples? Worthy._

_Bag of chocolate chip cookies? Not worthy._

_Can of lima beans? NO. NOT WORTHY. He didn't, no matter what type, trust the word at the end at all._

_A few mushy avocados? Worthy._

_Soap bubbles? Its liquid wasn't drinkable, more of a child's plaything. But they did keep Stink Bomb entertained for hours, which meant more naptime for Trap Shadow. Despite this, it was sometimes hard for the cat to resist springing up and grabbing them right out of the air. Instincts were a pain in the tailbone. Worthy, he decided. _

_Nibbled-on pack of uncooked noodles? He took a sniff. From a month ago? Mhnm. Trap Shadow squinted. Worthy._

_He'd gone through a lot, but hadn't reached the bottom. Far from it. This child's backpack was bigger than it seemed. His claw met with something rubbery: the top of a black, opaque __container. He yanked it out. The container had a funny scent to it. No, not a scent. A full-blown odor, like something found in a dumpster. As much as he didn't want to, Trap Shadow pried the lid open. Slamming it back down, h__e recoiled, arching his neck and head away. The word came out from him in a hiss. __"Durian...__"_

_Old, festering, smelly durian flesh._

_Not worthy. The king of fruits was not a favorite dish of the king of the beasts, but it had been a hit with his plucky, little sidekick. For him, not for Trap Shadow. Perhaps it was because it smelled just as bad as him. That was Trap Shadow's theory, anyway. Maybe not as bad__—his stench was far worse__—but still something that should never enter one's nose. Or stomach, for that matter. How could Stink Bomb eat so many without withering into a corpse? Was there something Trap Shadow was missing? Was he just not eating it right? It didn't matter. He didn't like it; he didn't want to have it stinking up the place. He already had someone filling that quota. Without any hesitation, Trap Shadow slammed it down into the Unworthy pit with enough force to summon an earthquake._

_ He gave a quick nod and a chuff of satisfaction before digging back into the carrier and pulling out a plastic bag. In it was __a sandwich, crust cut cleanly off, just how Stink Bomb liked it. Sandwiches weren't made from dairy, were they? They were just blocks of mashed up wheat, correct? Was there cheese on it? No, he didn't smell any. Presuming it was safe to eat, this didn't interest Trap Shadow one bit. Or so he thought. Just as he was about to toss it into the Worthy pile, a__ nutty aroma immediately shot right up his nostrils. _

_His hackles rose...in excitement. He felt drool slip right out of his mouth. Peanut butter. Mmm. Now that was something the outsiders got right. It got stuck on the roof of his mouth, but he didn't mind. It covered his sabers with its stickiness, but he didn't mind. A perfect dish...and it was barely a dish! He hadn't eaten a whole jar of it in quite some time. Unable to resist any longer, Trap Shadow extracted the sandwich and gave it a careful sniff to make sure. No one in their right mind would put durian on a peanut butter sandwich would they? He lifted the bread a bit. _

_No, but they'd, for whatever reason, put banana slices on them! It wasn't even done correctly! It was supposed to be fried!_

_A snarl left him. Stink Bomb just had to ruin everything, didn't he? First, it was the strawberry jam, and now this? Fruit was something Trap Shadow would never wrap his head around. Why? Because it was for measly herbivores and indecisive omnivores! Trap Shadow was neither one and never wanted to be apart of such. Meat, meat, meat. That's where all the good stuff was. He didn't have sharpened claws for slicing the skin off of peaches...though Stink Bomb frequently asked him to do so because his own weren't sharp enough. _

_Trap Shadow gave the sandwich a glare, but softened it into a curious gaze. Ah, well, it was still edible. As much as he hated having mushed up fruit slip down his throat, he would need the nourishment. He, after giving it a cautious lick, unhinged his jaws and..._

_The growl returned again. _

_He sprang up, a snarling jack-in-the-box who bared his teeth. His claws flexed themselves and he felt his nails extend, crushing the sandwich into sloppy puree. Instincts kicking in, Trap Shadow sworn that he must've swiveled his head around 360 degrees. Who was there? Someone had to be there. Watching him__—__watching them. He reached his hand behind him, yanking out a silver dagger from its hold. __"I WILL SKIN__—__"_

_"Shady?__"_

_Trap Shadow, dagger in hand, whipped around...only to see Stink Bomb. Startled by the weapon pointed right between his eyes, gave a yelp, stumbled back, and fell to the forest floor. Trap Shadow exhaled, a sigh of relief but also a groan of annoyance. __"How many times do I have to tell you to not sneak up on me like that? I nearly killed you,__" the smilodon reached a paw out and let Stink Bomb up. _

_"How many times do **I **have to tell you to not sneak up on **me **like that?__" the kit countered. _

_Trap Shadow rolled his eyes. __"I don't care. Pack your things back up and__—__"_

_"Is that my sandwich?__"_

_"Yep!__" No guilt was in his voice at all. He threw the rest of its remains onto the floor before taking a few licks at his coated paw. __"It made me mad, so I sort of crushed it.__"_

_"How could a sandwich possibly make you...__" Stink Bomb disregarded the question with the shake of his head. He tilted his body to the side, as if to sneak a peek at something. __"What's that for?__"_

_"What's what for?__"_

_"That giant, gaping hole...__"_

_Trap Shadow tensed. He'd forgotten! __Hastily, he scratched at the ground with one foot, kicking dirt back over the Unworthy pit. __"No reason. Just a hole...which isn't a hole anymore.__"_

_"Mhmhm. Riiight. I knew that dried-up, old fish would make you sick. But no, you didn't listen to me, because Trap Shadow knows all,__" Stink Bomb said with a snort, putting on his backpack. Adjusting its straps a bit, he gave Trap Shadow a sly look and nudged him a bit in the side. __"__Guess we'll both be taking bathroom breaks now, huh?__"_

_Trap Shadow ignored this, starting forth._

_"Shady?__"_

_He stopped. _

_"...can we...quit walking for a bit? Go for a quick bite?__"_

_Trap Shadow sighed, but did not growl. If they were going to make this work, he needed to control his temper. _

_"...alright. We can stop for a bit. Eat as much as you need to, but hurry it along. I don't like this place...__"_

_"Awh, do you care about me or something?__" __Stink Bomb snickered. __"What's wrong, Mommy Shadow? Aaafraid?__"_

_The smilodon tossed his head to the side, throwing his rucksack back on. You're right about something for once, Greenie. I am afraid, he thought._

_Afraid for you..._

* * *

"You did this! _She_ did this!"

"I didn't do anything!"

Inhale, exhale.

Two words to live by. Or rather, two words to survive with. It came easily. Just simple breathing. He felt his ears flatten back. Did they have to be arguing? Right here, right now? Right at this very moment in time? In the Café? None of this came easy_—_none of it would ever come easy. For him, at least. His hands shivered. Tea spilled out from the cup in his grasp and onto the table. Where was his stress ball when he needed it? Where was a therapist when he needed one? Where was Angry_—_no, no, no Angry Bike. That wasn't needed_—she_ wasn't needed. He sat alone, sunken back into his chair, sliding down with every exclaim.

"She is Undead! She lies, spouts horrible, horrible lies! Do not believe her!"

Was this ever going to stop? It really, really needed to stop. He could barely even hear the voices in his head.

Fryno wasn't so sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. Did that even matter? All he knew was that Cynder and Zoo Lou were starting to get on his last nerves. Just cutting them up, shredding them like paper. Having two Skylanders who didn't have complete control over their emotions in a single room definitely wasn't what anyone wanted. Fryno could see that written all over a whole sea of faces.

Should he...

No, no, no, he wasn't going to get involved. He'd make matters worse. Someone would probably just get third-degree burns and a punctured stomach or something. He rose the teacup to his lips...only to flinch when it splashed into his face. Unfortunately he'd jumped at the sound of a plate smashing...for now Skylanders were throwing them in protest. At both; the beastly bear and the dark dragoness. Even they were divided.

"Leave her alone!" Punk Shock snapped. "She's not a monster! How do you even know she did this? Anyone could've!"

"But she is _Cynder_," Wind-Up said with a faint squint. "Y'know, underling of Malefor and all evil and everything? I think he's...sorta-kinda got a point there."

"Wait? That's Cynder? I-I thought that was Camo this entire time! But, then..." Countdown tapped the side of his head. "Cynder, Cynder, Cyyynderrrr. W-who's Cynder? She's not the one with the laser eyes, is she?"

The others just didn't have enough courage. Zoo Lou? And Cynder? Not who they wanted to interfere with.

Cynder was a force to be reckoned with. Everyone knew that from the first time they laid eyes on her. If her questionable origins didn't make a Skylander move away or the vicious lightning she shot from her maw, it'd be her gaze. Icy, unforgiving, and simply made everyone jump right out of their skins. She liked to pick at carrion, strip the flesh off carcasses like a vulture, and hiss at anyone who disturbed her. Not someone who seemed very approachable at all.

Zoo Lou was a different animal altogether. If a Skylander so much as touched a leaf, he would go absolutely beserk. Those with predatory instincts learned not to leave such a bloody mess on the forest floor. Seeing Trap Shadow wear a cone around his head and struggle to gnaw at the wrappings around his limbs was a definite warning for all Skylanders everywhere. Don't poke a bear. Never poke a bear. Don't ever poke _that_ bear.

Why'd he have to come here and showboat? Why couldn't he have just went up to the big man himself and complain like a toddler? Master Eon would've listened. Why couldn't he have just gone off to bug Spyro? That could've worked, too. And why, why, why, why did he have to be here the same time Fryno was?!

What was he even complaining about? All Fryno could see was a dirty-looking patch of fur, raised high up in Zoo Lou's grasp. Apparently he'd been blaming Cynder for killing something called...a manticore? Whatever that was. Why should they even care that someone killed a manticore? From the way the others talked about it, they made it sound as if the creature was a carnivorous, monstrous threat. Maybe Cynder did a good thing! If Cynder was even the one who did it.

Fryno gave a little grumble. Why did he care about what was going on, anyway? This didn't involve him. He was just hear to drink his evening, mint tea! That's all he wanted to do! But no, of course not. He was going to have to suffer by listening to someone else's argument! Fryno already had enough of that with all the growling voices in his head.

"I've been in the Land of the Undead with Hex nearly all-week! There's pie down there," Cynder snapped, tail lashing, "why would I waste my time taking down a big, flatfaced kitten with a scorpion tail!"

"More lies from the daughter of Malefor!"

Everyone saw her eyelids twitch at that statement. Cynder sat herself down, curling her tail over her flexing claws. She laughed, shoulders shaking. Not an amused laugh. Not a good laugh. An Undead laugh. Before anyone could throw another plate, before anyone could even blink, she, teeth unsheathed, launched herself at the white bear. Zoo Lou had been already prepared, as he whacked her aside her skull with his club. As he did, green, spirit birds swarmed from it to Cynder, who was stumbling up to her feet in recovery. But just as she got up, the avian started to peck at her, picking at her scales. Bucking like a bull during mating season, she tried to snap at them, but more just kept coming.

"What is wrong, she-demon?" Zoo Lou quizzically squinted at her. "Seeing tweety birds?" He held his belly with one claw, chortling like mad. The birds seemed to do the same, a cry in unison. Little did they know that Cynder had already disappeared in the mass of jade, sunken under the shadows of the floor, leaving a few ghostie pals of her own for Zoo Lou's spirits to play with. She snuck up right behind the bear, grabbed him by his cape...

Cynder was successful this time around, yanking him right off his high and mighty pedestal. Not only that, but she yanked off his cape almost entirely, too. Zoo Lou, who'd landed on his rump, hadn't noticed it was missing until he saw Cynder, trotting about like a pony with the emerald cloth in maw. Fryno was surprised. Why hadn't she fought Zoo Lou? Like, actually fought Zoo Lou. There hadn't been any sort of malice on her face anymore, just smugness and slyness. The Cynder he knew would've mauled Zoo Lou and electrified his insides. Perhaps she was just in a good mood, perhaps she just wanted to make the shaman look like a clown. It seemed to be working, as Fryno heard a few giggles here and there.

He, however, wasn't in a laughing mood. All of this was distracting him from his tea and disturbing his inner peace. Why didn't he get up and leave? Because the seats were comfy. Because the food was good. This place was supposed to be a comforting. It was a coffeehouse. He didn't see why it was so loud this afternoon. The SWAP Force weren't here! Tearing his eyes away from the scuffle, he took a sip of tea.

Tried to take a sip of tea. It was more of a mere suckle then anything else. Why?

Because Zoo Lou had sent out the hounds. Er, wolves. Spirit wolves. And they were quite intrigued by waving cloth Cynder's mouth. They were leaping at her, snarling at her, bumping into each other like clumsy, sharptoothed puppies. The Undead dragoness moved around them with little to no effort at all, slinking between their green hides, flying over their heads. So now they were fighting over an useless cape? Fryno breathed in and out, slowly. Just ignore then. That's all he had to do. Just ignore them.

That would've be much easier to do...

...if they weren't playing ring-around-the-rosie right under his table. Under _his_ table, under _his_ feet. He felt the ceramic cup in his grasp start to crack. Inner peace. Starting to crumble. Inner peace. Breaking. Inner peace. Gone.

He flipped the table. He'd snapped.

Tails tucked, the wolves scrambled back to their master. Cynder hadn't been lucky enough to run off with them. Fryno caught her by her neck, in the same fashion as how Trap Shadow would squeeze the body of a bluebird. Her spiked choker started to sizzle at the heat rising up from Fryno's fists. She opened her jaws, a collection of electricity crackling in the back of her gullet.

Fryno wasn't having that. Straightening Cynder out, he stuck her right by his side...and pointed her right at Zoo Lou. The shaman had stopped in-midst of gathering up all his spirit wolves. He didn't get out of the way in time. A now crispy bear twitched on the floor. Fryno, still holding a squirming Cynder, put a foot right on the bear's throat. In all seriousness, he was being quite mild by his standards. Angry Bike wasn't out yet, he wasn't yelling. Fryno had no idea why the other Skylanders who gaping at him, telling him to stop. He had everything perfectly under control! He was doing them a favor!

"Ahem."

His attention_—_everyone's attention_—_was shifted to the two Skylanders who stood in the mouth of the entrance. Scratch glared at all of them through her mask, while as Pop Thorn was pressed to the ground underneath her and in-between her forelegs, looking as scared as ever.

Fryno dropped the dragoness as if she were little to nothing more than a lost sock and hurriedly stepped right off of Zoo Lou, who rolled over onto his belly and gasped for air. The rhino, placing one hand to his head, gave a forced smile, and a sheepish snicker to match. "So, um, how's that weather out there? Good for flying?"

Scratch flicked her ears and unfurled her feathery wings. "Out. Now."

He pointed a finger to himself. "So, just me or...? 'Cause they were kinda starting a ruckus, too."

A menacing growl left her, one that made Pop Thorn's spines quiver. "Everyone. Out. Now."

Fryno could've sworn that Cynder had just jumped right into Scratch's skin. That didn't sound like the usual, fluffy kitty he knew. But, wisely deciding not to voice his opinions further, Fryno clapped his hands together and starting forth, sending up a few sparks of fire. "You heard the girl. Move it to it."

* * *

To be completely honest, this was not how the Giant of Water thought he'd be spending his afternoon. Or was it nighttime? Morning? Whatever it was, he couldn't tell.

The sky was gray.

And the water was turning red.

"**GAARGH!**" he bellowed, ripping his hand free from one of the Cloud Kraken's tentacles...only to have another set grab at his legs, their sharp hooks puncturing him like needles. _Blistering barnacles, _Thumpback cursed inwardly. As he felt the beast starting to pull, the umpteenth attempt at trying to pull it off, the Giant decided to do the same.

With his own new _swing_ on things.

Digging a claw into one of them, piercing through its slimy skin, Thumpback whirled his anchor around in a speedy cycle...all before slamming it into the tentacles with enough force to slice them right off. Like a knife cutting through soft margarine. Blood spurted out from the wavering stumps; here, there and everywhere.

Three down. They fell all the way to the ocean's depths. As Thumpback watched, his attention hadn't been fully set on his cephalopod...and ink blasted into his face. With a surprised squeak, the Giant tried to flutter the darkness out of his eyes, only to have more stick to it. He was surrounding by it_—_it was utterly everywhere. Frightened, he tightly clenched his anchor's chain, and swiveled around. Right as he did, something nipped at him, as if it wanted to get a test taste of whale blubber. Before he could swing at him, the Kraken sped off into the comfort of its shadowy ink clouds. Sneaky little thing. Maybe he should've taken out the ink sac first? Thumpback couldn't think about such things now, as a sinking realization dawned on him.

Air. He needed air.

The Kraken was going to have another point added to its edge. It was faster than him, it was smarter than him, and now it could drown him anytime it wanted. _Grrreeat_. Just as he was about to swim to the surface, a tentacle twisted around his torso and yanked him down. They'd be doing this for a while now. A game of tug-of-war. But much to his surprise, the Kraken stopped, releasing his lethal grip. Perhaps it'd gotten bored. Thumpback didn't care; reaching the surface was the only thing on his mind. But, as luck would have it, he wouldn't be able to do that...as the Kraken shot right at him like a missile, tentacles and sundry all stretched out to reveal its curved, black beak. This time Thumpback was ready. He grabbed the Kraken's beak, prying it open as much as he could. Using one hand he lifted up the upper part, while he used the other to pull the lower down.

Why, yes, he did notice the strange energy brewing from the inside of the beast. And yes, he probably should've have been standing so close to it, but taking out its chompers seemed like a good idea. Right as he heard them snap, as he took one hand one way and the other another, the Kraken embraced him in a sharp, pokey hug. Thumpback opened his big, toothy jaws wide and bit down onto its squishy head, tearing off hunks of meat with ease. **KALAMARI**, he would've triumphantly yelled if he wasn't busy starting to suffocate.

The Kraken gave a horrible squeal as its flesh was ripped away from it, piece by piece, morsel by morsel.

Unfortunately, Thumpback, who was now busy eating AND slowly suffocating, forgotten entirely about what the Kraken was preparing as its last resort.

An evil-looking ball of energy exploded from its mouth.

And into Thumpback.

Stringy meat releasing from his mouth, the only air he had left was knocked right out of him, and he was sent reeling.

* * *

_"D'ya...d'ya think I shouldn't have been so brash?"_

_"What do you think, Snap Shot?"_

_"Yeh. Guess you're right. Brash is kind of an understatement..."_

_Indeed. Figures he'd realize what he'd done right after it happened...right after he rose his weapon...right after he was__—_

_"You were pummeled by pint-sized pups. Managed to make them all snap. I've never seen anyone of them that mad! Besides the vampire. I mean, all of them were just...wow. WOW. I think one of them hissed at me."_

_"Please, they barely..." He was out of breath. "...they barely even scratched me."_

_Head Rush snorted. "Oh, yes. Understandable. That must be why there's a snake jaw stuck onto your tail. Just scratches. No infected gashes, no burnt scales. Just teensy-tiny scratches.__"_

_Snap Shot huffed. As sad as it was, that was only the truth. He regretted ever doing it. Truly he did. But would he ever say that? Aloud? No, never. Why should he? His thoughts were his; they would stay in his mind. He didn't needed to tell anyone, not even his teammates, not even Master Eon._

_However, trying to not voice his misery was starting to get a little too difficult..._

_His eyes were on fire, stinging with pain, watering without stop. The Crocogator's feet had been smashed, his snout had been bloodied, and he was dotted with bitemarks and bruises. Blue scales were blackened and gashes were oozing. Not in the best of shapes. Not at all._

_"...Uhh, Snap, I think you've got a tooth lodged in your back."_

_"Hm?" Snap Shot reached backwards, patting at his skin. "Where is it?"_

_"Right there."_

_He moved his hands a little. " 'Ere?"_

_"To the left."_

_"Is it here?"_

_"No, not there."_

_"Is it__—__YOW!" He twisted around with a yell, finding the Trap Mistress' with a red-tainted tooth propped up in-between two fingers. "Have you gone bonkers? Loony? Cuckoo?!"_

_Head Rush didn't hide her smile, nor her snicker. "Got it."_

_Not in the mood for giggles, Snap Shot turned around, lowered his head, and mumbled. "You're not helping."_

_"You're one to talk. What were you thinking? I'd say you're the one who's gone bonkers. The Swappers have fights among themselves, not with other Skylanders. That completely messes up their code!"_

_"Code? Pfht, what code? They don't have a code! What would that even be? The code to act like emu-brained fratboys?"_

_"Yeah, I...I honestly just made that up. But seriously, you can't just go up to people and...slice them open."_

_"He's a Swapper. I doubt that even hurt 'im. Switching around all those organs an' bones an' stuff. I'm the one who's on pins and needles over here!" The truth. As if on cue, a wild sensation ripped through his tired muscles. __He clenched his teeth shut, a feeble attempt to keep all of his cries inside. It didn't work. Acting like this, like a weakling, in front of his teammates wasn't what he wanted. He was not weak, he was a Trap Master. Brave and strong and powerful. Wielder of Traptanium, Hunter of Villainy. Not a lily-livered lizard who gets his tail whooped by dwarfs! This was wrong, all wrong. If he couldn't protect himself from sixteen, silly, stupid Lilliputians, how was he supposed to protect his teammates? How was he supposed to protect himself? How was he supposed to protect Skylands?!_

_"Haha-HAW! Oh, I'm weak over here! I can't feel me sides!" A loud yowl erupted from behind the pack of retreating Trap Masters. "I'm dying! I-I can't breathe!"_

_And how was he supposed to make Tuff Luck shut up..._

_That was the better question._

_The feline had been pulling his legs, his horns, and his tail. Just joking, teasing. Snap Shot had never heard her laugh so hard. It sounded as if she was going to hack hairballs at any moment. He didn't appreciate it, nor did he appreciate the looks everyone was giving him. Either a wary glance, a squinted gaze, or big eyes of shock. None of them were appealing. He could feel them digging right into the back of his already-aching head. He didn't mean to cut the Mermasquid! Just as Wash Buckler didn't mean to trip him! It just, like all things in the world, happened. Yes, none of it was apart of the plan, but such is fate. Now, his fate appeared to be waddling back home on one foot, trying to keep all of his teeth in-tact, and blocking out every, little word from Tuff Luck. Not too easy._

_"Did you see their faces? WHOOSH! Anger-mode activated. I've never seen 'em that pissed off! They went off like bombs!" Tuff Luck went on and on. "I mean, did yeh see the one with the wheel? 'Is eye went red! Fully red! Like a beast! Yew, why yew, look like a punching bag, Big Blue!"_

_Snap Shot would've growled, but even that seemed to be a struggle. Only huffs and puffs would be escaping from his maw on this day. Irritable, aggravated huffs and puffs._

_"Hee-hee-hee!" she mimicked a witch. "Yup! Ye've got yerself in a heap o' trouble! Next thing we'll know, they'll be dingdong ditchin' Cloudcracker! Bags o' exploding firecrackers on our doorsteps!"_

_"It's not that fun__—__" Short Cut tried, and failed, to but in._

_"I didn't even know they had it in them! I mean, that vampire went straight for yer jaw! Knocked yeh flat on yer back! Made yeh show yer underbelly and let the hounds go at it! Like a bunch of buzzards zippin' around carrion! How many teeth are still in that big mouth of yers, Snappie? Hm, hm? Can yeh even talk now? Is yer jaw broken?"_

_Huffs and puffs. He wanted to say something, but it was best if he didn't. This would all blow-over._

_"Wallop took one of the hits for yew!"_

_Now that made him tense. The molebear always had his back, and this event was certainly no exception. He'd taken a plasma blast to the face. Laser blast? Power blast? Whatever it was, whatever that Spyder did, it was a force to be reckoned with. Lumbering forth in the back, Wallop held a hand to his face and dragged his two hammers behind him. His face. Which just so happened to be gushing with blood. Without stop. But he wasn't complained. Nope, not at all. In fact, he acted as if he'd only just come back from an evening stroll. How was he putting up with such pain? Snap Shot didn't know, but he really wished he did._

_"Oufph. When I said I can't breathe, I mean I really can't breathe. Hells' bells!" Tuff Luck held her sides, nearly keeling over. "Catch a whiff o' that!"_

_"I'm tryin' not to..." Ka-Boom, who'd had a deep gash dug across his chest from cat claws, said with a wheeze. Only a few of them had gotten caught in the fray. Krypt King had the joy of being hogtied by magic chains and pushed to the ground, playing a deadly tug-o-war match over his sword with Magna Charge. Gusto had his own boomerangs turned against him, as Fire Kraken managed to snatch them away and threw one of them right at his face. The other he used like a baseball bat, trying to chop away at Lob-Star's legs. Pure chaos. What the SWAP Force were professionals at. Creating pure and utter chaos, messing everything and anything up. For a team of nothing but jokes, they certainly knew how to make one twitch. And apparently suffer from severe injuries, it seemed._

_Every time Tuff Luck opened her mouth a laugh exploded from it. Annoying, irritating._

_He could hear it all around him, an echo of chortles and chortles. Ringing in his earholes..._

Snap Shot awoke with a snarl, with a jolt. His eyes rolled around in their sockets, looking about for any half-pints...and for any Irish felines. None in sight. Though that might've just been because his vision was blurred. He must've fell asleep...and must've taken too many swigs of ale, too. Much to his relief, he was still at the table, head placed down upon a nearly-cleaned plate of half-eaten salmon and shred of shrimp tails. The leader of the Trap Masters lifted his head ever so slightly...only to be yanked by the horn by someone.

"HEY! EEJIT!"

There she was. His vision focused onto itself onto the tan-furred cat, her teeth bared and lips curled.

Snap Shot rubbed at his eyes. "...what?"

The answer to that question didn't come from Tuff Luck, but from a sharp and piercing howl followed by the screams and shouts of inmates.

"What the-" He winced when another howl reached his earholes. Snap Shot quickly covered the sides of his head. "What is goin' on with 'em?! D'ya call 'em all clods again or something?"

"Now that yeh mention it, I really want to, but no. It's Wolfie...again."

* * *

Fright.

Fear.

Everyone felt that, right? That awful feeling. The one that made his skin get all itchy. The thing that made his insides tie up in knots and fill with butterflies. No, no, not butterflies. Like spiders. Fuzzy, creepy crawlies.

He feared really, really big spiders. Oh, and doctors. And dentists. Sometimes snakes. Definitely needles. Crowds were the worst. Maybe girls. Public speaking, thunderstorms, dogs, big cats, crocodiles, alligators, mayonnaise, puppets, loud noises, revving engines, perfume stores, screamo music...

That list went on and on. He'd gotten over most of them, though. Some of them. A few. What? Skylands was scary. Everywhere, at every turn, there was something there to jump up at him. Everywhere he looked, everywhere he went. Without the help of his friends, if he hadn't had been recruited, he would've probably been hiding in a burrow and rocking himself back and forward. There was just...one thing he knew he'd never get over though.

Nyctophobia. No, no, not that kind of darkness. He was a ninja! It was something he was used to. If there was something that didn't scare him, it was the dark. Its cooling zephyr? The sounds? _That_ could make him sleep like baby. Nothing like curling up underneath the moon on a handmade hammock between the trees, nor under the stars and on a heap of comfy moss. The night was nice!

But what came out during it...

What lurked about it...

Stink Bomb feared the Darkness. The literal Darkness. Eerie, slithery, slinking Darkness.

Didn't everyone? He couldn't be the only one who was scared out of his wits of it. Stink Bomb would never learn to be unafraid of such an awful thing. It could be in the shape of a crystal or wispy-like mist_—_it could be anything! But besides all that...what scared him the most was when it inhabited a living, breathing being. Possession, cruel and unnatural. The inky energy made people do strange things...horrible things. They'd never realize until the end of it all; they'd never even know until they looked upon the mess they made. What the Darkness made. The Darkness could go anywhere, control and contort anything, and wouldn't stop. It'd just keep coming back. And back, and back, and back...

An endless cycle of misery. Oh, and pain. Couldn't forget pain.

With two of his own teammates picks of its vile litter...

...it was starting to become something just like that for him, too. Every time it came back, only nightmare fuel followed. Tossing and turning in bed, pillows being chewed at, leaking musk, and scrambling down the halls and into Wash Buckler's sleeping quarters. How foolish, he was. Scared of everything, leaping into someone's arms, clutching onto them for safety like an infant.

Not today.

There were times when he was afraid, when he cowered and scurried away, when he wanted to bury himself deep within a ditch, when he latched onto others for protection.

Tonight he was trying to fight that feeling.

His foot connected squarely with the jaw of a Seadog, kicking out globs of slobber and shards of gold. The mutt, teeth knocked out of his mouth, fell to the floor in a blubbering mess...only to land onto a set of caltrops laid out for him...and to be tripped over by his many, many friends.

Stink Bomb's chest had been puffed out the entire time. His blood rushed, his adrenaline had risen, far higher than usual, and it felt as if his heart was in his throat. Elated by his victory, he rose a fist into the air gave a triumphant cry. "**YEAH!**"

But no one was looking. They probably hadn't even heard him.

No one had seen him being strong.

No one important, anyway...

Trap Shadow, who had been gripping a Seadog by the ears, chortled out loud before kicking the dog in his stomach. "Don't get so cocky, Stinks! There's more mutts where that one came from. And by that I mean that ship over there. Y'know, the one with your soulmate."

Stink Bomb chose to ignore this, but his tail bristled as if it had a mind of its own. He needed to stay focused. But as a chill ran up his spine, his attention shifted from Trap Shadow to...

Dark Wash Buckler.

The Mermadsquid had axes upon axes, their hilts all wrapped around in inky, black tentacles. He appeared to be playing a dangerous game of skip-it with the Seadogs, who had to jump every time a sharp edge cut off a single strand of their leg hair. They seemed to be...beaming. Stink Bomb swore he heard _'how many doubloons do you got'_ over a multitude of times. Were they actually having fun? As crazy as it sounded, it almost made sense. Anything was probably better than staying on the Esper. At least it'd keep Dark Wash Buckler busy for a while and take a few mongrels off their hands.

The skunk, pulling his mouth into a thin line, bit at his lips. Those words that hissed in his head, despite being in the welcoming, goofy voice of Wash Buckler, were scathing, like icicles driving through his brain, his heart.

_You're like one of those singing bass fish things...like the Christmas gift no one wanted..._

_Like a pair of funny-colored socks. A throwaway, a paperweight... _

Their eyes met. Stink Bomb tensed. His head turned itself away, against his own will...only to have his eyes go right back. That look, written all over Wash Buckler's face, was like something that jumped right out from a nightmare.

Was...was it really true?

His_ supposedly omnivorous _teeth were an absolute joke. Fangs? What fangs? The best he could do with them was grind up a Caesar salad. How scary. How ferocious. Utterly fearsome. His claws were laughable, dumbed down to nothing but nubs_—_stumps, even. All because he liked getting a manicure from time to time, all because he wanted to feel _fancy_. There was no way around it.

He was weak. Through and through.

Wimpy.

Whiny.

If that truly was what Wash Buckler thought of him...

...then he'd disappointed him. He'd disappointed his leader. His captain. His...his sensei.

Wash Buckler always hated it when he called him that. It'd always slip right from the skunk's mouth. A reflex, a habit. He just couldn't help it sometimes. Why, he even addressed the others as nii-chan and onii-chan on occasion. It just...happened. By accident, really. All of those words had just been drilled into his head when he was younger. How could he resist? Freeze Blade didn't mind it_—_then again he didn't mind being called a hardheaded loudmouth either_—_but Grilla Drilla would always give him a glance whenever he was called as such. Most of this didn't happen as often now, but in dangerous situations, he would always find himself yelping out. How could he not? That was all simply what he was taught, and having a leader-like figure to look up to with the letter _B _in his name, just like Master Blister, made it even more difficult.

But Wash Buckler was no Master Blister. He was different. Better, dare he admit it.

Recollecting the fond memories in life was not a smart idea on the battlefield, it appeared, for as he took as step forth, eyes still stuck on his possessed leader, he'd stepped on one of his own caltrops, yelped in pain, and fell. Not apart of the _win the well-deserved respect from teammates _plan. Keeling up into a furry, green ball, bringing his legs in, he tried to wriggle the tack out. It only made him wince. No dice. He didn't really care that he was injured at the moment; he just wanted to get back up and beat the pelts off of Seadogs. And just really, really wished that no one saw him fall.

Someone saw that.

A clawed, furry hand reached down in front of his face. He flinched_—_such a sight proved frightening, what with all the beasties amuck. For all he knew, it could've been a Purple-People-Eater.

Nope. Close, but not quite. Purple-Bunny-Eater.

A sigh pushed itself out from him. Definitely not who he wanted to see.

His teammate looked down at him and shook his head. "Clutzy furball," he said through a smile. No, no, not a smirk, not a sneer, not even a simper. Much to Stink Bomb's surprise, there had been no hint of jeering in his voice. The next one that he uttered was a rumble, not quite a purrr, but not a growl of any manner. Strange. And furball? That had been even more alien! It sounded funny coming from him.

Perhaps it was just that he said clutzy furball and not dumb weasel, airbag, or _I'LL SKIN YOU. _Furball, it'd been awhile since he'd heard those. Only on occasion did Trap Shadow say it. To him, anyway. The most recent was when Trap Shadow had chased a field mouse into a nasty bush of poison ivy and thorns. Bits of his fur had to be removed to reveal his inflamed skin. As Stink Bomb was dabbing the cat's cuts with alcohol, he'd called him such. If the skunk remembered correctly, that was considered a playful term used for young kits. Belittling, yes, but better than having him call him a rat for the umpteenth time.

"Here, take it," Trap Shadow waved his hand about, waiting for Stink Bomb to grab on.

The skunk's lips twisted up in distaste.

"What?" the smilodon snickered a bit. "I licked these yesterday, they're clean. Not like you tidy yourself up either. C'mon, grab it and get onto those feet. This is a battle, not bedtime. You're going to end up getting yourself hurt."

He already was hurt, but he didn't say anything. Stink Bomb grabbed a hold of his teammate's claw. He cursed himself for doing so. Having to depend on others? Weak. The Sneak Swapper lifted himself up...only to accidentally press his hurt foot on the ground and drive the tack further in. A quick cry left from him. Almost immediately, he slammed a paw to his mouth. Stop showing weakness. Never show weakness!

Trap Shadow's ears sprang up and he peered down, noticing a bit of red dripping onto the deck. "Step on a nail or something? I just thought you slipped and banged your knee or something. D'you want to swap? It'll be easier on your foot."

"Yeah, kinda," Stink Bomb bit back another whimper. There was no kinda. He'd stepped on a caltrop. His _own_ caltrop. Utterly embarrassing. "But I'm fine no need to..."

His attention was drawn back to Wash Buckler. Dark Wash Buckler.

Still playing, still having fun. Without a single care in the world.

_You all think you're special, little snowflakes..._

_Yeah, you can clear a room, but that may just be one of the only redeemable things about you. If it weren't for that, you wouldn't even be on this team.._

The walls of his throat went dry, his nostrils twitched a bit. Following the lead of events, all as expected, he felt his eyes start to water. Seeing him like this...seeing Wash Buckler in such a state...it pained him. Far worse than any caltrop to the foot. Broke his heart into two. This was not the Mermasquid he knew.

Before a tear could trickle down his cheek, he was taken aback when a quick paw struck him on the side of his head. He didn't even have time to voice his pain, as Trap Shadow, giving a fierce growl, grabbed the skunk by his shoulders and roughly shook him. "Hey, hey, hey. Look at me."

Startled by the force of his voice, Stink Bomb did as he was told, stiffening up.

Trap Shadow neared his muzzle close, lips moving up and down to showcase his teeth every now and then. He spoke in snarls. "Stop worrying about him. There's nothing we can do about it_—_not right now. You can't keep getting so soppy about this every time it happens. It just makes you look weak. Don't want that, do you?"

Stink Bomb stared at him with wide eyes. Had he been reading his mind? Could he do that? "I understand."

"Good. Now, take it ea_—_"

Their heads turned at the sound of a gurgling gasp and a sickening sound, like a spoon splicing through cranberry sauce.

Some brave soul had stabbed Dark Wash Buckler. In his back.

Before the Seadog could yank the sword out, Grilla Drilla, the only other who'd witnessed the act, pounced on him with a shriek, pressed him to the floor, and pounded in his face. "**TRAITOR!**" he screamed, just as Wash Buckler did only a few minutes ago. Galvanized into action, Stink Bomb hobbled through the sea of Seadogs to get to them. He didn't get to even say anything, or even see who Grilla Drilla had at his mercy, a golden-knuckled fist swung. Stink Bomb was sent rolling across the deck, tumbling and tumbling until he came to a stop. Something dribbled onto his head. Once, twice. Like rain. But he'd heard no shrieks from Blast Zone, nor any pleased cries from Free Ranger. Confused, Stink Bomb looked up...

There'd been no rain...but there was Trap Shadow.

Dribble had traced his lips and gums, oozing down from the sides of his maw, which tightened and set. A guttural growl emanated out from his shut mouth. As it grew deeper, lower, he played with the silver saber in his grasp, stepped right over Stink Bomb...

Lightning struck.

...and he gave a roar.

* * *

_Rogues, loners, and mutineers. _

_The Damu Mbaya, or Badblood, is what everyone called them__—that was what they called themselves. They were all considered outcasts from their clans, banished for dishonoring their code. Killing__ anything and everything in sight without rhyme or reason. Not for food, not for nutrients. Just for sick and twisted kicks. More often than not they didn't even eat their kills, leaving them to rot above the surface, peeling the hides off of animals to sell on the black market, or plucking out their bones, knotting them to necklaces and showing them off for the entire world to see._

_Hunting little, thirteen-year old skunks weren't what they were known for, but Stink Bomb was being chased anyway, followed deeper and deeper into the snowy cold. _

_Scurrying about on all fours, bunny bag hopping around on his back, he saw his own hastened breath in front of him. They came out quick puffs; one, two, three, four. Musk streamed off his tail, practically painting a trail behind him that he couldn't stop. No matter where he went, they'd find him. _

_No matter what he did, they'd__—_

_He tripped. Not on a rock, not on a twig..._

_But over a ledge and down the sharp, stone-covered side of a gully. If the seasons hadn't have changed, he would've hit water__—__warm, fresh water that he could've splashed around in. Instead his frame impacted with nothing but ice. Cold, hard ice. "Owwww..." A lengthy whimper escaped from him when he raised his head up. He, after wriggling his nose around a bit, gave a sniffle. No harm done, just a little bruise on the snout. His fear only picked back up again when he looked back._

_His bunny bag! Its fabric must've ripped open when he hit the rocks! Or he just forgot to zip it up again. That wasn't the point. What concerned him the most was what was laid inside it...which was now all over the ice. Bottles of syrupy medicine were littered. __White capsules had spilled out everywhere, some sliding away as wind brushed by. Packets of tea and lemon-flavored cough drops mingled together. _

_Stink Bomb stared at the mess, not knowing where to start, or even what half the items truly were. He'd been desperate. Overwhelmed, stressed. A clump gathered in his throat and he combed at the frizzled fur on his head. __He knew how to heal injuries, simple cuts and wounds..._

_...but he had no idea about what was happening to Trap Shadow._

_It'd been a rough week. A rough, two weeks. Stink Bomb didn't know; it felt more like years to him. Winter was always the hardest time of the year for Trap Shadow. All of his "snacks" went missing, either hiding under the ground, dozing off in some place unknown, or in midst of migration. Even when one of his traps did snatch up a tasty ungulate, he didn't dare to go get it. Despite hailing from a species whose ancestors lived in a tundra climate, Trap Shadow hated getting his feet cold. The streams would freeze up and mock him with all of the fish swimming underneath. He could've broken in with a single, fell swipe, but he didn't want to risk having his paw soaking with icy, cold water. _

_Perhaps that was what made him sick: the cold. Or maybe it was because he was malnourished? W-was he just getting older? __He could barely even get up any more; he had to lean against Stink Bomb for assistance. __Food couldn't stay in his stomach for so long. Earaches, stomachaches, headaches, Trap Shadow suffered from it all. His teeth would chatter even when Stink Bomb covered him up with a bundle of blankets. Stink Bomb hadn't gotten a lick for the past, two weeks. __Slumber was always calling him, urging him. His eyelids would shut ever so slightly, but a millisecond after would fly back open as Trap Shadow coughed up phlegm-like blood, as Trap Shadow fidgeted, or as Trap Shadow suffocated in his sleep._

_The two nomads hadn't moved since last Monday, relocated to a nearly-snowed in cave in the woods..._

_W-was Trap Shadow going...mad? He'd been snarling an awful lot and biting at his skin and..._

_Stink Bomb rubbed at the four, crusted-up gashes in his arm, flecking away bits of blood. _

_He hadn't meant it. He didn't mean to. He just wasn't...in control._

_This Stink Bomb knew. After scooping up a handful of pills and put them back in their container, his fur prickled at the sound of snickers. He heard their __grating voices, sharp and loud like that of claws against a chalkboard._

_"Gonna getcha!" one kept saying, over and over. _

_"Stop going so fast!" another shrilled. "You're gonna burn all the babyfat offa you, kid!"_

_Stink Bomb, hastily shoving whatever he could grab back into the bunny bag and putting it back on, slipped and slid across the ice. Stop fooling around, his instincts hissed at him. Bringing himself back onto all fours, he scrabbled for a hold with his claws and pushed himself forth with the kick of a leg. Ungracious, but it wasn't time to be an artiste. He leapt up and began to scale the stone-covered slope, pulling out pebbles. _

_Trap Shadow had done so much for him. _

_Stink Bomb carded an hand over his watering, wincing eyes._

_It was time to repay him. _

* * *

**_Soccer Mommy Shadow shall now be a thing and no one can tell me otherwise. But, in all honesty, this is what happens when LiteFox is left alone, reading Big Hero 6 fanfics in the middle of the night. So I guess he can be Onii-chan Shadow, too? Sshha-daaashi! See what I did there? Also Trap Shadow is Doraemon. Confirmed. So many random things crossed my mind when I was writing this..._**

**_I loved writing the Sneakers' parts, though. This really, really makes me want to write more of everyone's childhood! Which I definitely will._**

**_Yes, yes. Wallop is now a molebear. In this universe, anyway. Hehe. What? No one said anything about Stonesapiens or my unnamed-squirrel species for Boom Jet. I think you'll be just fine. _**

**_Reviews shall now be relocated down here. I may not leave a response every time, but just know that I appreciate everyone's feedback! You're all apart of my support system. Even you, my Anonymous ghosties. I'll make you speak up in some way or another. 3/5 did, you all can too, invisible lovelies._**

**_icepelt2000: Well, I'm glad it makes you nervous! Might mean I'm doing something right. Yeah, I try to take my time with a lot of these. It just makes me feel bad when I can't get back to all of you quick enough. _**

**_Sundiel260: Definitely not out of the woods yet. I haven't finished mentally scarring him, no sirree bob! Hehe, no one's off-limits in this story. Oh, and speaking of Shifty, been thinking about stuffing even more childhood memories into this thing. Wash Buckler coming up for that treatment, but I do have plans on expanding on Night Shift's pampered upbringings. Gonna be fun playing with his snooty, stuck-up baron attitude~_**

**_BP-101Skyfander: SKYFANDER. YEEE, THANKIES. SPOOKINESS IS MY GOAL! YOU WAIT IN ANTICIPATION? LITEFOX IS PLEASED. SHALL WE TALK ABOUT SKYLANDERS AGAIN? YOU MIGHT NOT EVEN BE READING THIS 'CAUSE OF LIFE, BUT WHATEVS. WRITING IN ALL CAPS IS FUN. NOW YOU ALL SEE WHY I DO IT FOR THE CARDMASTER SO MUCH._**

**_Secret Agent 3/5: I'm so happy I did good with Torch! I only know a bit about her because of the comics, as I don't have her figure and only roughly know what she sounds like. Yup, that was a reference to Sokka. Love 'im! S_****_HHH. No, not at all! Rattle Shake didn't say Ka-Boom was calliente, no, no, no, of course not. Certainly not, definitely not. PSSH. He's not attracted to everyone! NOPE._**


	24. Thicker Than Water

_**I find this chapter a little...lackluster. I dunno. I'm even confused about the next chapter. But there's a silver lining! Organic Beings should be getting an update soon. What? Yes, that's still a thing. Later sometime next week, I hope. Maybe even earlier...? Depends.**_

_**(Seeing as one of my super-secret ghosties got confused last chapter, here's the dealy-o. I showed what Trap Shadow/Stink Bomb went through in the past...and now I'm showing bits of what Wash Buckler had to deal with. Like what Spy Rise was visioning in Just Fine.)**_

_**Ugh, it's 4:00 A.M. over here...so if you see any big typos just know it's because of that.**_

_**Sleepy time for Swappers. And me. G'night, trekkies, and enjoy!**_

* * *

_As much as they did it, on-foot travel was starting to become a bit of what one would call, dare Trap Shadow admit it, an hassle. Paws getting pricked by littered thorns, being bitten by bugs, stampeded by families of rabid raccoons. Stink Bomb pleaded him, begged him, to try to be like, as he said, everyone one. By everyone else, he meant...everyone else. They hadn't met any campers to snatch potato chips from, no hikers to nab trail mix from, and no joggers to grab fresh water from in months. What was everyone else doing? Being lazy and sitting on sofas, Trap Shadow presumed. __And what were these...cars everyone spoke about? Those mechanical beasts that expelled smoke? Or were those the metal birds in the sky? No, no, those were planes. Rrright? For once in his life, he had no idea. This bothered him. A lot. Deeply, even. He had a reputation to maintain. A cunning cat who knew Skylands like this back of his claw. Not anymore, it seemed. Perhaps he never really did. He'd only found out what a mansion was when he and Stink Bomb raided that fancy shindig in Batcrypt. _

_Nevertheless, with the rise of this new age, they found themselves unable to escape change. But just how would they ride in style? Stealing those big, cargo birds just didn't seem to be working for them. How were they ever supposed to sneak away with a honking, squawking feather mattress? Trying to bargain with Skyship pilots for cheaper rides always ended up being a fruitless attempt. Trap Shadow didn't trust those...automobiles. They made too much noise and made it hard to breath. Seeing as he already had an all-natural, organic non-stop talking, air-polluter on his paws, that was off the list automatically. It appeared as if they'd just have to deal with blistered pads and bitten skin...all until they caught ear of one more option. _

_Sky Trains. Sky Trains, he'd decided. _

_They had been on a few before in their travels. This would be, as an excited Stink Bomb kept reminding him, their fourth time on one. Reminding, in short, meant snipping at Trap Shadow's nerves. Tugging at his fur, constant squealing, drumming at his back, giddily jumping up and down. _

_"Shupid...meanie...sa-samurai squirrels..."_

_Apparently all that singing and dancing and twirling tuckered him out. _

_Trap Shadow bit back a groan as a glob of skunk saliva plopped onto the fur of his purple-furred, blue-striped arm. He sank back into the battered chair. Fresh new layer, added on with every snore, sniffle, and snort. Perhaps this was a way of showing gratitude? Or perhaps Stink Bomb was just being a nuisance again. Theory B seemed more plausible. Trap Shadow could only ignore it. Yelling at him to stop would only frighten him, Trap Shadow knew that all to well. This happened on a multitude of occasions. Just an occurrence and nothing more. It was his fault; this was what happened whenever he let Stink Bomb get all close and comfy up next to him. _

_Whatever. His coat was in need of a good cleaning, anyhow. _

_Sky Trains weren't exactly...a favorite for Trap Shadow. Especially not ones crafted by stingy Dirt Sharks. Not ones of legend. Just ones stuck together by duct tape and gum. _

_This ride had been a quiet one. No kicks at the seat, no whining children. Perhaps that was because they were around the only set of passengers. Disregarding the occasion skitter of teeny feet from a rat, the mercenaries were joined by an elderly Seadog and three Greebles. Nobody else. Trap Shadow could only assume that the poor Seadog had forgotten to get off at his stop and that the Greebles, as clueless and curious as they were, had gotten themselves trapped inside._

_He turned his head away and pressed it against the window. At least they didn't seem like murderous, skunk kit-stealers. Worrying about it wouldn't make him feel any better. Perhaps this trip would take his mind off of things. A week-long vacation, full of markets that sold exotic delights, people to pickpocket from..._

_Skyhighlands was littered with wretched scum, bandits and burglars, thieves and rogues. A sigh left from him. __They'd feel right at home. Trap Shadow, at least. He wasn't too sure about Stink Bomb. The smilodon...hadn't really told him the whole story, the master plan. Stink Bomb was probably going to be a button-eyed, teddy bear compared to all the Crowfolk they were bound to come across. A very, very valuable teddy bear._

_He decided not to worry about it; that wouldn't do him much good. Before he knew it, Trap Shadow found himself lulled to sleep by the staggering lurches of the train...either that or he ended up smacking his skull against the window too hard._

_And also before he knew it, two, green claws were poking at his face and plucking at his furs. His felt his ear being raised by pinching nails, hot breath being pushed into it. Stink Bomb had been polite enough to not shout in them today, only whispering. That didn't make it any more welcomed, however. "Wakey wakey, sleepyhead. Rise and shine, time to get up."_

_Trap Shadow bared his teeth a little as a warning; of course, the attempt didn't work. Stink Bomb was a persistent one, that he knew for sure ever since they'd embarked on their adventure. Trap Shadow wasn't going to give up so easily, either; he'd had enough of having the skunk interrupt him every time he closed his eyes. He kept them shut this time...until a few fingers began to wriggle around under his chin. "Tickle, tickle, tickle!"_

_His jaws instinctively snapped, but before he could chomp down on skunk fingers, his ears perked up at the sound of the doors up above opening and the conductor grumbling. So he wasn't just doing it to get on his nerves? Good. Not that Trap Shadow was going to let it down like nothing had ever happened. "Do you WANT me to rip your hand off?"_

_"No, not necessarily," Stink Bomb stood up to do his morning drills: stretch, scratch, and yawn. He, after skimming over its contents, put on his bunny bag. "I just find it fun to mess with you. Poke your buttons."_

_"Oh, I had no idea, tell me more," Trap Shadow's voice was laden with sarcasm. "Not like I don't wake up to a little paws putting flowers in my coat everyday."_

_"Well, since you asked politely, sometimes I braid your fur, sometimes I stick some mushed up berries in there, too. It's sort of like conditioner. You've got a lot of hair, y'know that? I think you should try to shake it up a little, try out a style. I'm thinking maybe a..." his voice trailed away; so did his attention, as it'd been locked onto the old Seadog, who rose to his feet with the help of a wobbly cane. Trap Shadow tried to keep his eyes from rolling. Stink Bomb was becoming softer and softer everyday. _

_Helping ducklings get back to their mothers, feeding baby birds, sweeping the floors of shops, getting rid of litter..._

_Trap Shadow had a few theories why. Perhaps he'd been looking at the Skylanders for too long and picked up their behaviors. Maybe he was just doing it for attention. Probably both. Either way, Trap Shadow didn't like it, nor did he support it in any shape or form. He wasn't a boy scout, he was a master thief. Why that wasn't getting through that thick skull of his was simply irritating._

_Rubbing his forehead, the smilodon rumbled. "Don't do it, Stink Bomb."_

_"But he looks like he needs help..."_

_"He's got a cane; he'll be fine."_

_"He needs my help..."_

_"You need help. Why is it that you want to help everyone you see? You can't just go around being all ditzy like that. Not everyone is your friend. Understand? That guy is a Seadog. Do you know how Seadogs are? What they do? They're pirates! Not your friend."_

_"He doesn't look like a pirate..."_

_"For spirits' sake! Does it matter? He could just be acting, pulling a trick for unsuspecting, naive people like you!"_

_"He's a great actor..."_

_"Stink Bomb, I'm serious. Do you want to be put on the black market? Do you want to be killed? There's nice guys and bad guys. Guys who help others...and the guys who end up jabbing a knife through the helper. Are you getting any of__—__"_

_The skunk yelped. "He dropped his wallet!"_

_A bit startled by the sudden squeak, Trap Shadow lost his train of thought. "Er, what?" _

_Before he could question further, Stink Bomb was halfway down the shoddy, gum-decorated aisle. He snatched up the leather wallet in the blink of an eye and began to call after the canine. "Sir!"_

_He'd probably said that at least ten times before the Seadog, who'd been walking at the speed of a slug, turned around. __A thin, crinkly smile went across the Seadog's black lips and a little, rasped chuckle left from them. "Thankee, me boy. With these ol' eyes o' mine, I prob'ly would've forgotten it, heh-heh. Didn't quite 'ear yeh there. Guess that makes ol' eyes and ol' ears, hm?" He twiddled with a few hairs on his chin. "I've never come across a lil' kittycat that looks like yeh before."_

_Trap Shadow nearly snorted. Kittycat? Really, really old eyes. Surely Stink Bomb would be just a little, teeny bit annoyed by that. He always kicked him in the shin whenever he told him he was a rat. No shin-kicking happened. Only smiling. Sickening, goody-two-shoes smiling. _

_"I bet!" Stink Bomb chirped. He prodded a finger into his chest, which puffed out as soon as he did. Shin-kicking was out of the question but his inflated ego was probably here to stay. "I'm one of a kind!"_

_"Hehe, now that's as clear as day," the elderly Seadog gave him a few pats on the head. Oh no. Or in this case, oh yes. He never liked anyone messing with his fur. He'd have to flip, right? Wrong. Still smiling. Trap Shadow could've sworn he felt bile rise into his throat. "I can't thank you enough, little 'un. Such a kind, young soul. 'Ere, have a something special for your travels." With shivery hands, he produced a purple-coated lollipop out from his wallet, tore the clear wrapping away from it, and handed the treat over. "Will this suffice enough?"_

_That smile soon turned into a full-on, giddy grin. He couldn't stop the hairs on his tail from twitching and his eyes grew nearly ten times their size. This Seadog just wanted to ruin everything for Trap Shadow, didn't he? Candy was most definitely a no-no for children. A really, really big no-no for Stink Bomb. He'd learned that the hard way when he wouldn't stop talking. Not an oddity by any means, but it got far too excessive, all through the day and all through the night. The cure? Whacking him over the head so hard it made him unconscious. Probably not such a good idea, rattling one's brains and all, though it didn't really matter when everything went silent. Sweet, sweet silence._

_Stink Bomb nearly snatched it from his claws. "Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!"_

_"Ye be welcome, pup," the old Seadog, once again, reached to pat him on the head...until his gaze met with the towering feline staring down at him. Despite the warning growls going about in Trap Shadow's throat, the Seadog hadn't been scared in the slightest. "Is this 'un yers?"_

_"Wh-what?" Trap Shadow hadn't understood the question at first. "N-no, he's not my kid." _

_"Little brother, perhaps?"_

_The gears in his head struggled to turn. Should he fabricate a lie? Or just tell the truth? If he said their names, would the Seadog know them? Of course, everyone knew them! What even was Stink Bomb considered? A teammate? __A pet? No, that'd just ensure his ears for a barrage of neverending complaints. Never a good thing._

_F-friend?_

_Matey?_

_The frog in his throat hopped out, as his lips moved on their own. "Th-this little...anklebiter is my..." They lifted up a bit to show an awkward flash of fangs. "My little brother. His name is...er...Nuka."_

_Stink Bomb, stopped in the middle of having his sweet delight, gave Trap Shadow a funny side-glance. "What? You've must've hit your head against the back of the chair too many times, because last time I checked my name was Sti__—__"_

_A big, purple paw silenced the skunk, covering his mouth. Sheepish chuckles left from Trap Shadow, making his shoulders bounce. "Kids just being kids. Crazy, aren't they?"_

_The Seadog squinted a bit behind his rusted spectacles, but didn't question him further. Instead, he just gave him the same, stupid smile he'd been giving for the past, few minutes. "I can see the resemblance. Well, I've taken up enough o' yer time. I'll be on me way down. Gotta go find me chums for a night out in the town. Do ye know about the opera show goin' on in Mudwater? Best Gillmen singers I've ever heard. Though I do think I'm going a bit deaf..." Trap Shadow wanted to stuff his claw down the Seadog's gullet. He just HAD to mention an opera. _

_A sigh heaved from the hunter when he, from out the corner of his eye, saw Stink Bomb gape. The twelve-year old looked up at him with big eyes, glimmering with excitement and baring a grin that looked almost as if it hurt. Luckily, Stink Bomb was no master at pulling the puppydog face, as Trap Shadow rose his lips to bare a few teeth of his own. That was a no. The Swampskunk made a little, disgruntled noise in response, but did no more. _

_"Catch ye both on the flip side," the old codger gave a weak wave and sent himself on his way outside...as slow as molasses. Not like Trap Shadow cared, nor even noticed. His focus was only locked onto Stink Bomb, who'd been gnawing at the hard candy. _

_"Enjoying that, hm?"_

_Stink Bomb nodded ever so vigorously. He hadn't found himself so pleased when the tasty treat was ripped right from his mouth and thrown onto the floor. "Oh, c'mooon! Was that really necessary?"_

_"Very necessary. Don't trust outsiders. Their foods are nothing but mass-produced, poisoned garbage. By condoning this behavior I could be turning whatever's left of that brain of yours into mush."_

_"Gee, thanks Shadow. I can always count on you to blow things totally out of proportion and smack grape-flavored lollipops out of my hands. What a good friend you are! Not like you're being super hypocritical about processed foods seeing as you gorge yourself with MY peanut butter sandwiches."_

_Trap Shadow stuck out a tongue..._

_"Oh, yeah, that's really mature of you."_

_...slapped it up against his paw, gave it a few licks, and slathered his wet pawpads across the skunk's forehead._

_"Hey! Ew!" Stink Bomb recoiled, fur all stringy. "What was that for?"_

_"Make yourself look presentable. We're mercenaries, not pig farmers."_

_"What's that supposed to mean?" the skunk sniffed, pulling out strands of loose, green hairs as he plowed a clawed hand through the fur on his head. "I thought this place going to be filled with bandits or something."_

_"People can be picky. Besides..." Trap Shadow pinched at the side of Stink Bomb's face. "Maybe someone will be interested in snatching you up, maybe someone will give me the price I'm looking for..." He set forth, giving a quick nod as a signal for him to follow. "It could happen, you know. If I was given the chance to be the overlord of Skylands, I'd give you over in a heartbeat."_

_"Pfft! Yeah, right!" Stink Bomb sidled up to him, nudging his side as payback for the pinch. "You're never gonna sell me off. I'm the best there is. I'm awesome, I'm radical. Wicked, even."_

_"Of course, of course. No one has a pet Swampskunk. See, you only proved my point further. Definitely the best there is. Why? Because no one has a Swampskunk that does ninja kicks and backflips. Everyone thinks you guys just lay around, do nothing, stick your heads in beehives, stink things up. Yawn. Not interesting. But if I show them a skunk who can paint with their tail and preach poetry, you can bet your butt that they're gonna be interested. Forking over cash, forking over their own innards! You should've seen how they were when I put my three-eyed Boghog up for auction."_

_"I thought you said everyone just wanted to eat me...?"_

_Trap Shadow stiffened. He'd forgotten about that. Was this a bad idea? Taking him along to Skyhighlands? With tons of cackling birds who pick off the flesh of dead animals? Who'd just love to dig their beaks right into some tender, skunk ribs? His arm immediately wrapped itself around Stink Bomb's shoulders, keeping him close. "I-uh...that won't happen. You can count on that."_

_Stink Bomb appeared surprised by this__—__startled, even. When he looked up at him, Trap Shadow looked away. Both of their hackles rose. Trap Shadow broke the silence with a soft rumble, starting forth,_

_"C'mon, let's just...look on the bright side. This is gonna be fun. I've never lied to you, have I? Everything's gonna be great. There's plenty of food and new friends and...you're gonna have fun."_

* * *

Even the smilodon_—_ruthless, relentless carnivores_—_had to live by a code, by laws. He remembered them all like the stripes upon his fur,

_Leaders shall be fed first._

_Territories marked are territories owned. Do not cross where you aren't needed._

_Never slay your kinship without rhyme or reason._

And so forth, through many, many more. But his elders never did say that he couldn't _try_ to slay one of his kin.

He had felt the hairs on his neck rise as fresh blood oozed between his teeth and onto his tongue, slipping down his throat.

He had felt his ears twitch at the sound of squeals from the Drilla monkeys, those who were shaken off his body like mere flies, thrown about and slapped away.

He had felt his claws trying to rip away at the golden chestplate beneath them, the armor denting at his powerful force.

He had smelt the fear of his enemy.

Strong...satisfying. It made him salivate. But most of all, when he looked into his foe's eyes, full of terror and horror, a crazed, cruel, crooked grin kept splitting across his face. The world didn't play fair. So he just wouldn't play fair. That was the only way. Besides, he'd broken the whole list already...and hadn't felt a single bit of guilt. Grilla Drilla really wasn't actually, truly one of his kin, so there was no reason for him to stop.

Feeling its sharp points pierce his tongue and dig into the roof of his mouth, turning his head to the side, he spat out whatever was left of Grilla Drilla's helmet. The tables had turned; the two knew that very, very well. Unhinging his jaws in the fashion of a hungry snake, he roared out of rage, irritation. If he didn't take the armor off, he'd be getting no where. This made him mad, far more than before. Without hesitation, he continued to release his anger.

A wild hiss rasping out from him, he rose up a claw and swiped. He'd missed by only a smidgen_—_just a tad bit_—_but he'd done damage nonetheless. His claws connected with the fur hanging from one side of the Drilla's face, ripping a lengthy patch off in a horrid, red lock. Satisfaction was all he felt when he admired it; satisfaction was all he felt when he heard the agonized yell of the Driller and a whole plethora of slurs after. "You sick f_—_" he didn't have time to finish, as another claw sent itself across his face. Left after right, right after left. He was becoming more of a scratching post than a Skylander, defenseless and immobile.

Trap Shadow didn't care. He was doing the right thing. No one was stopping him, no one _would_ stop him. They'd had to be out of their mind if they even dared to.

Apparently not.

A foul odor counterbalanced the smell of fear that had tickling his nostrils and the taste of blood that was lathered onto his tongue. Green claws gripped at his arms, keeping a firm, viselike grip around them. Before he could lash out, he felt everything below his head go numb. Legs, feet, and all sundry. Swampskunks had a whole arsenal of hidden abilities. Their musk-coated fur was able to eat away through cloth, their claws regrew in length faster than most mammals, and of course they could blind foes with their spray.

Not many of the denizens in Skylands knew about a male Swampskunk's deadly handshake until Stink Bomb came around. A toxic, green poison is secreted from the inside of the one, tiny spur that poked out from their palm whenever they needed it to. It was nearly invisible to the naked eye, making it all together a great tactic. The fluid acted in a way similar to venom, but didn't congeal blood nor stop hearts. The toxin only paralyzed the body, numbed muscles, scrambled one's brains and stomach a bit...

...but that wasn't to say that it didn't hurt.

Trap Shadow dropped to his knees and bit back a pained bellow, quaking as the fluid ran rampant through him. Froth oozed from the sides of his mouth as he panted. His eyelids twitched and his entire skeleton shivered. Chuffing, spraying a bit of spittle as he did, Trap Shadow forced his jaws down to clench his teeth. He felt woozy but, with the shake of his head, fought the feeling. It hadn't hurt as much as he made it seem. In fact, the pain never lasted for too long; the worst was the injection. Boom Jet said the feeling was like being tased and then spun around, but Trap Shadow found it comparable to the vaccines that Spy Rise forced him, and everyone else, to take during the flu season. As the jitters subsided and what was coursing through him slowed, the feral noises Trap Shadow was making only came from his own rising temper.

Why wasn't Stink Bomb letting him do this for him? He was doing the right thing! He was doing something GREAT! For everyone on the team! He, tossing his head hither and thither, snapped his jaws so hard the sound seemed to echo. It would've been a service! There would've been so many benefits! A flash of a green hand casted itself in front of his line of view, but before he could snap, tell him to stop so he could finish the job, he found himself unable to breathe as it came back and covered up his snout.

A muffled grunt escaped from him, but he really wanted to shriek. The scent_—_no, stench_—_was overwhelming; it burned his nostrils and made him wince. Weathered, white nails, though dulled and stumpy, kept a firm grasp onto the front of his muzzle. His vision grew clouded, blurred...

...until a scene appeared, until a memory gripped him. He was defiant, trying his best to turn away, squirm out from the hold, but it only grew tighter and tighter. Clear, it was, bright as day and almost blinding, like splinters poking into his tear ducts. The images were much more comforting; he stopped struggling.

_Their nubby tails wiggled. Nourishment dripped down their chins. _

_Only one strayed from the litter, stumbling and fumbling on his little paws. He couldn't hear, he couldn't see__—__none of them could__—__and yet he knew there was more outside. Beyond the cave, beyond Mother. He knew because he could smell it, all of it. Strange scents that'd made his nose twitch, his fur bush out, and his tongue lick his lips. _

_Maybe if he'd just...maybe Mother wouldn't notice. She had to nurse, she had to rest. And a little runt like him? Why, he could sneak past anyone, it seemed. As his paws crossed from the cold of stone to the warmth of the outside, he involuntarily let out a few squeaks._

_Little, poky spines brushed onto his pawpads. They didn't hurt; they'd only tickled. He didn't know what it was called__—__he didn't know a lot of things__—__but he'd experienced it every time he wandered away from Mother. It smelled strange, but he hadn't known what it tasted like. _

_Yet._

_He buried his snout into the spades, letting them tickle at his nose before snapping up a few with his nubby teeth. His face scrunched. __It had a funny taste, one that his instincts didn't agree with. He shook his head and hacked out whatever was left of it. Poky spines were only good to step on, he decided._

_The light that had been peering into the underdeveloped slits of his eyes suddenly went away._

_He rose his head...and was grabbed by a big claw, one that clutching him in an awful squeeze. Nothing like Mother__—__this was not Mother. He couldn't even squirm, stricken stiff by the deathly grip. A scratchy, curled nail prodded him on his throat. Something inside of it...beat? His ears flicked. _

_Hearing._

_There were noises, sounds. A terrible, awful growl. _

_His eyes opened for the first time...only for them to squeeze back shut at the sight of a dripping set of shiny, gray teeth, splashed by red at their tips. He didn't know what it was, but it didn't look like it wanted to be his friend any time soon. It was purple, with shaggy, darkened fur across the sides of its face and its neck. Its eyes would've been considered featureless if it hadn't been for the greenish tint across their surface. Three, crude scars had been across the bridge of its big, sniffing snout. A few blue stripes marked his body._

_What was it? A beast? A monster? Like that of what Mother always talked about?_

_"Mapema," its hot breath made his nostrils quiver. "Just as I expected. A disappointment. Again."_

_Its gigantic claw covered his face with ease, grip tightening around his tiny head, his frail neck. _

_"You will be first. Do not fret, cub, your arrival to the heavens shall be quick. It will be nice up there, where you can meet the rest of those who didn't make it. That is where you belong. You must understand that there are those were are worthy...those who are not. I know, I know, this is not something you expected. My life has been full of surprises. I did not expect for my mate to give a litter of weaklings all through the past seasons, but she has surprised me. I did not expect that she would actually prove of some worth and offer me a joyous gift of healthy, strong hunters in the making...but then you had to ruin it. Like some sort of trap wrongfully placed. My own blood has betrayed me, my own mate has betrayed me__—__the spirits have betrayed me._

_"I do not understand what I have done to ever deserve this. I have been a good leader. I have been an even better king. I deserve the best, just as I have the best territories, the best strength, and the best blood. Your mother has failed me; she's supposed to give me the best kits, the best hunters. But what do I get? You. You haven't surprsied me. You're like all the others..." _

_The kit shivered at the guttural growl that came from the creature when it opened its maw, showing the insides of his frightening jaws. "You'll make for a great bite-sized__—__"_

_"GIZA KIVULI!"_

_He hadn't understood that, nor had he understood why he'd been on the ground, or who'd pushed the monster over...until he'd opened those little eyes of his once more. Whoever they were they smelt a bit like Mother, like what he heard was called a tigress, but definitely weren't as calm as her. They'd been wrestling with the beast, hissing and spitting,_

_"Filthy pig! That's all you are and all you'll ever be!"_

_"And you call yourself a king!"_

_"You speak of honor as if you possess it! You belong with the Damu Mbaya!"_

_The little kit felt himself being lifted off the ground and put across the shoulder of one of the tigresses, her careful claws stroking at his underdeveloped fur as she made a break for it. "Let's get you back to Mchumba. She will want to know about this. You mustn't keep running off like this, tiny prince."_

_Head bouncing on her shoulder, he lifted his eyelids a bit to stare at what was before him, what was shrinking away from sight. Teeth flashed and jaws snapped, a whirl of silvery claws lashing out from the chaos. _

_"You won't end up like the others. You will be different, you will be safe. Without a shadow of a doubt."_

Trap Shadow felt his lips curl up when Stink Bomb removed his paw, his teeth bare. He was going to snap, bite at the one who betrayed him. His jaws began to unhinge...

Not a roar. Not a bite, nor a growl. But a mere sneeze, the shake of his head, and a sniffle.

He felt his muscles relax; the light of his eyes dimmed. He blinked. What was that? Why would Stink Bomb show him that? Was he just imagining it? Trap Shadow didn't know that could happen. What _was_ that? Why'd it even happen? His head turned to Stink Bomb for answers, but his attention shifted to the floor at the sound of a howl of agony...

...to Grilla Drilla.

Crowded about by worried, frantic, and utterly brutalized monkeys, the Drilla forced himself up onto his knuckles, letting out wail. His head was hung, blood dripping from it, along with the slashes in his arms, into a pile that began to stretch across the deck.

Stink Bomb gasped when the Drilla rose his head. Trap Shadow flinched.

Deep and ugly gashes had dug into the gorrila's face, shredding through his skin. With them across his forehead and down through his mouth, he looked as if he'd been someone's gory crossword puzzle. They were everywhere_—_absolutely everywhere. Some of his fur had been ripped away, replacing where they were with patchy, bloodied skin. When he opened his eyes, the whites of them had been ridden with splashes of red; their vessels must've burst during the altercation. It made the fiery glare that he was giving Trap Shadow even worse.

What had he done? A lump began to form in his throat and his tongue, lathered in wretched blood, poked itself into his cheek, hiding away from speech. His lips quivered a bit as he fought with it, struggling to get a few words out. The only ones that came were scratchy, low, and pathetic. "Sor-sorry..."

Idiot, he cursed himself.

Grilla Drilla gave a bloody, phlegm-filled snort as his nostrils flared with every breath.

Every hastened, angry breath.

"Idiot!" screamed the Drilla. "What the_—_what was that for?! Are you out of your mind?! You could've killed me! You were TRYING to kill me! What is WRONG with you?! Sick freak!" Stink Bomb opened his mouth to say something, but he was cut off by a snarl. "Don't you dare. Don't you even try to defend him. That wasn't an accident_—_he knew what he was doing and he didn't stop." A few, weak laughs came from his blistered, bruised lips. "That was what you were about to say, right? You can't deny that you were about to say that. Are you serious? He's done this before, Stink Bomb! Tons of times! Even to you!"

The Swampskunk, who had a bit of a bruise of his own across his face from the punch earlier, closed his eyes and sighed. "He was just...following his instincts. As anyone else would do."

"By nearly killing a teammate?"

"Did you forget about what you did to me?" Stink Bomb countered. "What was that for? You can't just go around hitting people in the face!"

Grilla Drilla spat on the floor and scoffed. "Says someone who helped the enemy."

What? Was he calling him the enemy? Trap Shadow tilted his head a bit when the skunk's fur rose. What was Grilla Drilla talking about?

Even though he rubbed a bit at his arm, Stink Bomb stood his ground...probably because he was scared stiff. "Rotclaw is a friend. Not an enemy. I can't explain why he attacked Wash Buckler. Maybe it was self-defense. Maybe he was frightened. You wanted to wrestle with Wash Buckler the first time he went over to the Darkness. Why? Because you were scared."

"Wait. So that was Rot_—_" the hunter tried to get his word in, but was cut off by a growl from Grilla Drilla. He felt a shiver go up his spine when he stared into his eyes. Haunting, awful, bloodied eyes.

Giving a satisfied chuff, Grilla Drilla returned his grim gaze back to Stink Bomb. "I don't want to hear it. Everything you're saying is nonsense. Let me tell you something, skunk." He pushed himself forth, wincing as he dragged his bitten legs. "You can't defend everyone. Not everyone is a perfect, little angel. And people like him_—_" he pointed to Trap Shadow_—_"aren't your friends. Get your head out of that tailhole of yours and start living in reality. Where people get hurt, where they bleed, and where they die!" He gave Trap Shadow a quick glance before slowly stumbling off and away into a shady corner of the ship. "Some of those people deserve it," was what all that he muttered.

"**EXCUSE ME?!**" Stink Bomb's fur bushed out and he nearly shouted louder than the ongoing battle behind them. He stamped his feet, as any angry skunk would. "What's your problem?! People DESERVE to die?! Trap Shadow DESERVES to die?! You're the one who's being a sick freak! You know you DESERVE? YOU DESERVE TO KISS MY A_—_" His words came to a halt when Trap Shadow put a claw onto his shoulder.

"Stop it, you're not helping," said Trap Shadow, shaking his head.

"You're right..." he sighed. Only a heartbeat after Stink Bomb crackled his knuckles. "Sticks and stones, not words. I need to go over there and set things straight."

"I said stop it!" Trap Shadow seethed, gripping the skunk's shoulder harder.

Stink Bomb recoiled away with a little yelp. Staring at Trap Shadow with wide eyes, he felt where he'd been hurt, pulling his paw back to reveal red.

Had he drawn blood? More blood?

Trap Shadow clamped his claws down onto his head. He apologized, over and over, so much so it sounded almost like a chant. "Sorry_—_sorry_—_I didn't think that would happen_—_I didn't mean to_—_I_—_" Overwhelmed, after uttering something that could only be described as a whine, Trap Shadow strayed off and sat down under the rails. He pulled his legs in, propping his chin up on top of them with a sigh. Stink Bomb wasn't too far behind; he sat down next to him without any hesitance. However, the sabertooth tried to ignore this, to ignore him, as he turned away with a grunt. Trying was a lot different from doing.

His attempt didn't work. "What's wrong with me?" The question came abrupt.

"Hm?"

"What's wrong with me?" Trap Shadow leaned back and crossed his arms. "You're good with these things. Therapy or whatever. So what's wrong with me? Give it to me down straight."

Stink Bomb seemed a little surprised by the question, eyes going up and down as he looked him over.

"I need an answer, Stinks. If you want to help me, give me an answer," he turned his head to stare, awaiting. "Am I sick? Am I diseased? There's something wrong with me. I just don't know what. I need to know what's wrong with me."

No reply. Just the shuffling of two sandals swaying back and forth.

Trap Shadow huffed. He wouldn't get any help. It was too late, as Stink Bomb had clammed up already, mouth sealed shut. Something he often did whenever he was afraid of saying all the wrong things or giving bad advice. Respectively so. The smilodon understood his fear. Anyone would be frightened by the possibility of angering a fierce, feral beast. Don't poke the bear. That was what Wash Buckler always said whenever Stink Bomb got curious, asking questions that Trap Shadow didn't ever want to answer.

The shuffling stopped.

"Sometimes we just...go off. Explode. Lash out. Get hissy. Y'know, whatever you want to call it," Stink Bomb rubbed at the back of his neck. "It's a part of life. Rage is not an easy thing to control. No one can be that mellow. We all have our moments here and there. No one can be giddy all the time. Grilla Drilla felt it when he saw Rotclaw stab Wash Buckler, you felt it when I got hurt, and now I'm feeling it because that scumbag isn't acting like a true Skylander."

Acting like a true Skylander...

This made Trap Shadow ponder a bit. "Then what am I doing here?"

"Huh?" Stink Bomb squinted. "What do you..._mean_?"

"I don't really fit like a glove, do I? Whenever Fire Kraken wants to play a game, I send him on a wild goose chase and laugh when he gets lost. Whenever Spy Rise is upset about another one of his failed inventions, I tell him to suck it up. Whenever Free Ranger gets hurt, I can't help but snicker. Aren't Skylanders supposed to be benevolent and stuff?"

"Well, I mean_—_uhm, that's not what I meant when I said he wasn't acting like..."

"Then what did you mean to say, Stink Bomb?"

His words crumbled into babble under his breath.

"Speak up."

"I just meant that he's being a total jerk and...I'm not saying that you're bad or anything."

"Why do you keep wanting to defend me? I AM bad. I've told you about what I've done with these claws, with these teeth. You've seen what I can do with your own eyes. Don't keep trying to deny it. Wash wasn't right about my stripes, because if he was I'd be covered in hundreds of them. A stripe for every, limp body that has fallen onto my feet. For all the times blood has dripped from my muzzle, for all the times flesh has hung from my mouth. All the times I've caused someone grief o-or misery!"

"Trap, you're a great Skylander! H-how can you even say that?" blustered Stink Bomb. "You're intimidating, you're fierce, you make baddies wet themselves when you roar and you can crush all the bones in their bodies with a single swipe!"

"So is that all I am to all of you? Just a big, scary wall of teeth and claws? Who pushes people around and spits in their faces? Puts my feet onto their skulls and stomps out their brain matter?" His head lifted a bit as it touched the railing behind him, voice growing as hollow as a hole in a dead tree. "I knew all that already. Tell me something I don't know."

No reply.

"Exactly. Every time I try to do something right, I end up with blood on my claws. Blood that didn't have to be spilled. I could've killed him. I don't even know why I'm here..."

"Don't say things like that! That's_—_that's ridiculous!"

He threw his arms up. "I don't mean it like that! All I'm asking is why Master Eon picked me in particular! I'm no domesticated...tomcat or whatever! And I'm definitely no one's caged tiger! I shouldn't be here! I just want to know why. That's all I want to know. Why me? Maybe that'd give me a little bit of my sanity back. End all this madness."

"Truth be told," Stink Bomb began, "I am also thrown on that subject. You're always kinda moody in the mornings. Whenever you eat raw steak, you have a habit of getting it all over the place. You never do anything around the house, not even when Wash Buckler asks you to. I'm sick of cleaning up locks of purple fur off the carpet and pulling out half-eaten mice from under the couch. You interrupt my meditation sessions, you bother me when I'm painting, and you don't even wear pants!"

Trap Shadow nodded. Exactly what he expected. He was just a burden, what his father always thought of him.

"But you're there for us. Maybe not always and your advice might not be the greatest, but that's not the point. You try to help; that's what counts, that's what matters. I heard what you did for Rotclaw. I remember every, single thing you did for me when I was a little kit. You protected me_—_and you still do. You spilled that blood for me_—_you spill all that blood for us. Stop saying all that sentimental stuff! Quit whining! They weren't innocent. None of them were. Heck, as brutal as it was, I kinda think that Drills needed that beating. Knock some sense into him."

He hadn't expected that.

"Just like how I need to knock some sense into you," Stink Bomb stood up, moved in front of the smilodon, and sat down with criss-crossed legs. He leaned forth. "You want to know why you're here? Isn't that was you asked?"

Another nod.

"It's because we need you. Everyone on this team is important_—_absolutely everyone. You're important, I'm important, we're all important. Trap Shadow, you're intelligent, you're quick, you're strong, you're everything a Skylander should be! And you're a bonehead for not thinking so!" barked out Stink Bomb, getting into his face and jabbing him in the snout. "A-and..." he pulled back. "I'd be an even bigger one for not saying that I look up to you earlier...and that I understand what you mean."

Trap Shadow tilted his head. "Er...what?" Last time he checked Stink Bomb definitely hadn't murdered an onslaught of his own kind. "That's definitely flattering and all, Stinks, but I don't think we're on the same boat here."

He acted as if he hadn't heard. "On days when I'm down, when I've messed up mission by alerting our targets with..." He put his tail into his lap and gave a weak smile. "I often feel as if I'm just a joke. A lowbrow one at that. Like a jester that got no laughs. Just a dumb, stupid skunk here to stink up things, just here to be an omega wolf for all the other wolves to yell at when they've done wrong. But I get over it. Why? Because we all have our flaws. Wash Buckler isn't all about brains, but he sure does have a heck of a lot of heart. Blast Zone gets a little aggressive at times, but he knows just how to calm us down whenever we're in a funk. Free Ranger has the memory of a goldfish, but he's never afraid to leap into battle. The list goes on and on. Me? I just happen to like eating the microwave-friendly bean buns on the frozen foods aisle when I don't feel like slaving over a bunch of pots and pans all day...but I can seal up a cut with just some mushed up mint leaves. You? You just happen to act a little feral at times. Nothing big. You are a natural predator after all, just as I'm a natural healer."

_I think it's kind of 'big' whenever I scrape the skin off a teammate's face_, he thought. None of this was helping. Only salt dousing his wounds. Mental wounds. He rubbed away at some of the dried blood on his lips. "I-I think you should go..."

"...w-what?"

"Go help Drills. He needs it more than I do. I've done this to myself, you don't need to be thrown into the middle of my own issues."

"But I_—_"

"After all, you are a natural healer."

Intelligent, Trap Shadow truly was, as Stink Bomb walked away, probably thinking he'd gotten through to him.

He hadn't.

Trap Shadow watched him disappear into the black shadows, the green musk of his tail swallowed up. "Oh, Greenie," he, left behind, released a sigh, slid further down, and gripped at the chains of his purple traps, "if only you knew the whole story." Keeping that, along with his untamed instincts and even his own tears whenever he felt down, underwraps was worse than anything his father could've done to him, worse than any torture that Kalamity could think up. He'd told Wash Buckler the most about his past, as telling Stink Bomb when he was twelve would only scare him him, but even the Mermasquid_—_the pirate who'd done a few wrongs himself in the past_—_grew pale whenever the whole story got more descriptive.

Caught in the corner of his eye, he saw a golden figure, sitting_—_or at least kneeling_—_across from him, next to the rails. He didn't even have to think about it. Trap Shadow stood up, smiled a bit, and walked over.

Spy Rise needed some company. Someone had to talk to him. Without a shadow of doubt.

"Hey, Goldfinger..."

* * *

_"Spy Rise, just...listen. This is our only chance at saving Skylands. We're the heroes, Spy, this is what we're supposed to be doing! I don't know what'll happen if she takes over that volcano__—__"_

_"Precisely. She could be turning over a new leaf, starting afresh. I used to have...acquaintances who have done the same."_

_"You and I both know that isn't true. You're the one who found that scheme; you know what she's planning."_

The images came to him, like the claws of a beast ripping through his brain, gnawing at his nerves. They were wild, sporadic, but they all showed the same thing...though each were far worse than the last.

_"Yes, but...what if that was a trick, leading us away from the truth. What if she's planning to trap in the explosion of Mount Cloudbreak! She's trying to kill us, Wash Buckler! This is nothing but a suicide mission!"_

Suspended above, whirling in the air. Trapped, tortured. There was nothing he could do to help them_—_nothing! He did this to them. He'd condoned this, he'd approved of this. How could he? How could he have been so foolish? So...so dumb!

Wash Buckler—or rather Dark Wash Buckler—tripped over his tentacles, rammed his back, only pushing the blade deeper into his skin, against the rails, and finally faltered into mass of empty barrels. A choked gasp left from him as he felt more blue blood ooze out from him. He slithered back, hiding as best as he could in-between the kegs.

_His friends, his family, they were being torn apart. Magic ripped away at their torsos, blistering across their exterior, whether fleshy, mechanical, or otherwise. They were shrieking, roaring..._

_Dying._

_He was dying. They were all dying._

Dark Wash Buckler couldn't catch his breath. As he lowered himself down behind a barrel, his chest heaved in and out; all three of his hearts pumped up against it so hard it felt that they'd burst. He was hyperventilating, panicking. Not for himself, but for the others. Were they alright? His vision had been cutting in and out ever since he'd been hurt. It could've done far worse if he had a spine. Oh, no, it still pained him, very much so.

_Was it happening? Was it really happening? It had to—he could feel their pain! They were being split apart! It was his fault! All his fault! There was nothing he could do! He couldn't save them, not even if he tried! He couldn't__—_

_Hoo. _It was that simple noise that sucked him back into the reality.

The Mermasquid heard something. Among the cries of waging war. It was...strange. Almost inaudible at first, but growing louder with every beat of his hearts and escaping breath. Faint, yet fine. As if there was a bit of an echo. Where was it coming from?

_Yoooo-hooo, _the voice called.

Something was playing with him. Toying with him.

_Oh, have you not figured it out yet? I've been hooting for, like, hours. Dearie me, my throat hurts. Hmph. As if this day couldn't get any worse. Now I'm going to have a SUPER dry voice. Oh, wait__—never mind! Hehe, I can't actually, physically hoot through minds! How silly! What I meant was that my BRAIN hurts...because someone just had to throw my own teleportation ring at me...because a Stonesapien used me as his fuzzy, feathery bean bag. And who's fault would that be, hm?_

Wash Buckler looked around, but couldn't see over the furry forms of Seadogs, nor the outlines of Skylanders in the frenzied mess. "...hoot loop?"

_My, my,_ the voice mused,_ it is far less emptier in here than I imagined. No offense. I just didn't expect it to be this cluttered._ _What's going? It's like there's a party up in this place! You're so worried about everyone! _

"WHO'S THERE?!" he shouted, a bit too louder than he intended to.

_Agh, don't say hoo. It's starting to get a tad grating. Really repetitive. You know it's bad when me, the owl, is getting annoyed. I won't be able to say hoo for a week. Oh. Wait._

"Hoot Loop, where are you?!"

_Inside voices, inside voices. There's no need for any of that. Just use that head of yours._

Inside. _Insiiide. _What did that even mean? Whisper?

_Inside your mind, Wash Buckler. You know, where you get all your screwy ideas from._

Jolts sent through his head, making his tentacles stand up stiff. Squeezing his eyes shut, he let out an agonized groan. He couldn't trust this voice, could he? No, no, he could not. He'd been lied to before; he was bound to be lied to again. The Darkness, he could only trust it. Yes, yes, indeed. No, no, what if this really was Hoot Loop? It sounded like him. But what if he was faking it? What if he was trying to take the Darkness from him?

Something seemingly rammed into him, like a battering ram. _Theo._

_Who? I mean, what? Or, I mean, augh!_

_Theo._

_I don't know who that is. Leo? _

_Tell me! Where is he?! Where is Spy Rise?!_

_Ohhhhh. Oh, oh, oh. I didn't__—__ohhh. I understand._

_SHOW ME. WHERE. HE. IS._

_He's fine, he's fine! Don't get your knickers in a twist...though I don't believe you do, or even can, wear knickers. Battered up a bit, but I'm sure he can fix himself up like always. _

Wash Buckler didn't care about that. He just wanted to see him, to see how much damage he'd done, to see if he could help him in any way possible. His tentacles pushed himself up; he turned his head and straining his eyes. All he could see were big, furry shapes, added with the occasional weapon thrown here and there. He could barely even see his own teammates, let alone Spy Rise. Who was winning? Who was losing? He couldn't tell...but he couldn't care less. As long as they'd all get out of this alive, everything would be-

WATCH OUT!

A furry mass leapt onto him, the back blade of a knife pressing against his neck, its cold surface making the Mermasquid stiffen. Wash Buckler swallowed, but the lump got stuck right above where the weapon lay.

"I've got 'im, Cards! I've got 'im!" Patches cried out in a giddy, gleeful bay. "The Mermasquid is ours!"

Wash Buckler stood still; fear setting in and turning him pale. Where'd Patches come from? And how did Hoot Loop even see if he was unconscious? Supposedly unconscious? Those answers didn't matter much, as more Seadogs came swarming over the barricade of barrels, showing their yellowed teeth as they snickered and snorted like gremlins. The Mermasquid tapped the hilt of his cutlass, eyes darting from them to right as they landed on their sneering faces.

Should he...

No, he shouldn't...

He had to...

But it would do more bad than good...

The Darkness is all that mattered.

Patches had said something snide, but Wash Buckler_—_Dark Wash Buckler_—_hadn't heard as he'd grabbed him by his free legs with the grip of a few tentacles, slamming him face first into the floor with an awful crack. The Seadogs had already been snapping at the Mermasquid by then, but it'd only felt like the nibbles from a toothless toddler to him. Grabbing both his cutlass and Patches' knife, he drove one up through the bottom of a Seadog's jaw, stabbing the roof of his mouth as fresh blood dripped onto his hand; the other he used to slice into the side of a corsair who'd cut him across his chest, knocking him and three others off their feet with the swipe of a tentacle.

Those who tried to flee were simply grabbed by their necks and flung, either back into the fray of the battle or into the ocean below. All with a pitiful, pathetic whine. All with a stupid, shrill scream. Luckily enough they'd all blocked out the cries from Hoot Loop, who'd been yelling at him the entire time. As he admired all the shapes disappear into the shadows of the sky, soaring far before splashing down into the ocean, the little yips from Patches shifted his attention. The splotchy Seadog, spitting out a few teeth, was staggering upright; he had a bit of blood trickling from one of his nostrils and had to force his jaw straight by setting it back in place.

Unfortunately, but ever so fortunate for his assailant, he had his back turned. He started forth, ever so slowly...

"Stop."

His bright, blue hues returned as a bit of hopefulness hit him. His heart rose. Was it him? Was he okay? Wash Buckler lifted his head up...only to have gray patch up his skin. The Cardmaster stood ontop of the roof that belonged to the Swappers' sleeping quarters, leaning on a rapier. "I'd prefer to come back with at least a few of my crewmates in tact. Just as you probably wish the same for your teammates." His head nodded as he planted his eyes onto the battered bodies before him, as they either squirmed like worms or stood still as the life left from them. He pulled his lips up into a thin, black line, a single tooth poking out. "Mediocre," he sniffed.

Running a few fingers along the wet hairs of his chin, the Seadog stared down at the Mermasquid through his twitching nose and slobbery snout; the scent of freshly-spilled blood must've been making him salivate. "Such a familiar scent, you have. Brings back memories of whenever you six-tentacled questioned my authority. So bright and blue, your blood is. I always find it quite stunning, really. That and the fact that you're still here, still messing up my plans. You Mermasquids are always so hardheaded. Ironically so, seeing as you're just floppy, fleshy wastes of precious time."

Dark Wash Buckler hadn't shown any emotion. He didn't even look to be breathing.

"Cheer up. You're not as stupid as the others I've met. Which reminds me that I haven't had calamari in years. No, wait, are you a squid or an octopus? A halfling or something else? What a confusing classification for a species. That doesn't really matter, I suppose. I'm just looking too deep into this. Why am I asking? Well, a friend of mine said it'd do be good to eating what he calls...sentient beings. But you Skylanders aren't in the least bit sentient, barely even civilized. I don't think I'd stoop down to your levels and nibble on your flesh. Might be too rubbery. Even then you're about as sentient as a barnacle on an old rowboat. I might lose brain cells, so I think I'll just stay with burning you to a crisp."

Dark Wash Buckler slithered back, but his gaze didn't drop. None of these words had any impact. He was ready, he was waiting. Expectant and excited. It gave him a fuzzy feeling on the inside. Everything would be over.

The Darkness would rise.

"Here," The Cardmaster threw the rapier to the floor, "I brought this for you. Your weapons look like something I'd find at the bottom of a child's toy box, so I thought I'd help you. The least I could do for one of my mother's murderers."

But if the Darkness rose what would happen to his friends? His family? Would they rise as well? With it or against it? What if they went against it? Wash Buckler would have to get rid of them if they turned their backs on him. Exterminate them. Kill them. His grip tightened around his two weapons' hilts. Did he really want that to happen? He couldn't let that happen! His hands out, slicing the air with a shout, as if its inky tendrils had been right there in front of him. "I won't let you win!"

"I'm afraid you'll find that to be a bit difficult," The Cardmaster jumped down from his high and mighty pedestal, rubbing his paws together as if he was trying to start a fire...

...and he did.

As the ashes fell from his pawpads, purple flames arose from them, engulfing his claws in inferno. Sparks flew off of them, prompting the wood that got hit to burn.

"Things are going to get a little..." his eyes lit and his lips lifted. "...heated."

* * *

_Hugs._

He hated them. Loathed them. Period. Why was there ever such a thing? Coiling around someone like a cobra? Crushing their bones...out of love? It was all so bizarre to him. The very concept, the very word.

_Huuuug._ It sounded dumb, idiotic. Was there even a real meaning to it? How did it even come into existence? Something the mortals created, he'd always presumed, seeing as...

...his parents never gave him one. Not even once.

Nor did they even bat an eye if he snuck out. If he just so happened to spill a bit of blood on their pure, perfect white carpets, then they shrilled at him. Not if he locked himself up in his room. If he snarled at Snowflake the Twentieth, then they'd snarl back. Not if he went out to rub shoulders with the measly mortals and watch them play their little games.

_Surely it had to be a mortal thing_, he reminded himself every time he saw his mother squeeze the life out of Snowflake the Thirtieth. _They just like their space, _the thought was sent on repeat whenever both parents gave the rest of his brothers the biggest hugs they could muster.

He never did feel welcome in that mansion. With the polished floors, with hundred of butlers.

As he hung from the side of the bed, wings furled, Night Shift discarded the memory. That'd been a soft life. A lie, a mockery of the real afterlife of a vampire.

And it would've been the biggest lie in the universe if he said that what he was feeling at the moment wasn't joy. He believed that there was no such thing as miracles, but he'd been proven wrong time and time again. This would only be another wrong added to the list.

But his face did not show any emotion as he watched as both Boom Jet and Fire Kraken coddled Freeze Blade with typical, mortal affection.

A _hug_. A group_ hug_.

"Bro, you scared us for weeks! Everyone thought you were dying!" Boom Jet pulled back with an exclaim.

"Me?" Freeze Blade asked in almost what sounded like a squeak. He laughed, his infamous laugh; for once it made Night Shift almost want to smile. Almost. "Are you serious? I've escaped death, like, a billion of times already! Heck, do you remember being torn apart? I think I can handle a little snake-thing...or whatever it was. Where'd it even_—_" He clenched his teeth when the two, scaly arms around him squeezed harder.

Fire Kraken wasn't going to let go any time soon. "Doesn't matter! You're the only thing that matters now, 'cause you're alive and you're safe and you're not in a coma or an infinite time loop! I missed you, so, so, so, so much!"

"I-I can tell," the Frost Feline wheezed out, giving the dragon a light pat on the head.

"Alright," Boom Jet tugged on the end of Fire Kraken's tail, "that's enough. You're gonna kill him. We can get all mushy and sentimental later."

"I don't waaaanna!"

Freeze Blade chuckled a bit. "Kraken, are you...crying?"

Most definitely. But like anyone else in the world, he wouldn't admit that. Fire Kraken sniffled, scrubbing at one eye. "N-no..." he forced out a whimper.

"What? This guy was crying his heart out. Where do you think this came from?" Boom Jet pointed to the missing patches of blue cloth on his shoulder. "All-natural Sparkler tears. That stuff hurts. Krak, I think you might've even burned my fur off."

The dragon went up to his side in a milisecond. "Really?!"

"No, not really," he lightly punched him in the arm. "You big sop."

A faint chuckle made Night Shift's ears perk up. "There is nothing wrong with shedding tears."

He stifled a hiss as Rattle Shake slithered up to Freeze Blade, who went to him without any hesitation at all and gave him a _hug_. The same snake who could've killed him, the same snake who could've been his murderer. So naive, so innocent. Freeze Blade hadn't changed a lick. Seeing them all buddy-buddy, all happy-go-lucky, made Night Shift want to knock the brains out of both of them.

"Welcome back, pequeño. We've missed you," a smile stretched across the snake's face. That smile, that grotesque grin. Why was he acting like that? He had nothing to be smiling at. This was all his fault. Night Shift would've bashed him down to a bloody mass of scales and bones if he had his way. His animosity kept itself down, as he tried to stay positive. Tried his _very_ hardest to stay positive. Snapping would make Freeze Blade upset; the Frost Feline never did like it when they were at each others' throats.

And Night Shift never did like it when Freeze Blade felt sympathy for filth. Or whenever he tried to _hug _

Or whenever his guileless actions reached to new heights. New, awful heights.

If he told him what Rattle Shake did, how would Freeze Blade react? He couldn't imagine him being aggressive, nor even mad. From what Night Shift had gathered, Frost Felines shrugged everything off just as much as Mermasquids, or at least Wash Buckler. Something that he sometimes envied, but nearly all the time despised. Freeze Blade was a code that just wasn't easy to crack. Fire Kraken spilled grape soda on one of his shirts while carelessly doing the laundry? No big! Stink Bomb punched a hole through his door during one of his funky fits? Doesn't matter! Doom Stone nearly cracked your skull open during training practice? It'll be alright!

If any of that happened to Spy Rise, his circuits would be bursting. Night Shift knew if any of that happened to him he'd be washing the blood from his boxing gloves after. Such a demeanor like Freeze Blade's just didn't make much sense. It was something that Night Shift, and everyone else, often pondered about. Was that just how kids acted nowadays?

A sigh slipped from his lips, which hadn't moved much since his and Rattle Shake's argument. He hadn't even said a word to Freeze Blade yet. What could he even say? He put the thumb of one of his wings under his chin. Thanks for not dying? Don't ever trust Rattle Shake again? Nevertheless, he had to say _something_. He _needed_ to say something. Surely he did.

The giggles reaching his attentive ears brought his attention back.

"Good to see you again," Freeze Blade showed the same, if not bigger, amount of joy to Rattle Shake. Ever so sickening.

Night Shift had enough. Clearing his throat, he spoke in a monotonous grumble, just as always. "That is enough."

Freeze Blade's ears perked up almost immediately at his voice. He spun around and let out a little squeak. The Speedster splayed out his arms, gave another one of his winning smiles, and giggled.

How was he supposed to respond to that? Freeze Blade knew that Night Shift didn't do _hugs_.

Night Shift didn't leave from his spot. "It is...it is good to have you back, Freeze Blade."

Freeze Blade's arms fell to his sides and his expression fell flat.

Something stung at Night Shift from the inside, but he didn't show it.

"It's not you, Freeze," Boom Jet put his hands onto his hips. "He's just being a bit of a sourpuss. You know how he is when he's in one of his moods. Give him some time."

One of his moods? So it was just him? Just one of his moods? Just typical Night Shift?

He was about to snarl, but Fire Kraken, who'd been sitting on the floor and scribbling into the wood with a few nails that needed a good clipping, flapped his gums as usual. "Shifty was worried sick about you! He didn't leave your side! Well, except for when he had to go into battle, but he came back sooo..."

Night Shift hissed, fangs baring. "Quiet!"

Fire Kraken only pointed. "See? He cares!" His tail flicked to one side and so did his head. "I-I think...?"

Freeze Blade turned his head the same way, squinting and scrutinizing. "We've seriously got to keep working on those expressions, Shift. Do you even smile anymore?"

"He's smiled before?" Boom Jet asked, as if he really hadn't known. "Well, I guess smirking like a madman before strangling someone can be considered smiling."

"He strangled someone?"

"Threatened to bash our skulls in, turn our insides into our outsides, and laugh at us like a hyena, so maybe not strangled, but just frightened. I wasn't that scared, though. Kraken was the one who was shivering."

Fire Kraken rose back onto his feet. "Wassat supposed to mean? I wasn't the only one shivering."

"No, I'm pretty sure you were."

"I'm pretty sure I wasn't."

Boom Jet waved a hand. "You might've blacked out or something. Not like your attention span lasts that long anyway."

"Now, wait a_—_"

Their squabbling was cut short by the sounds of battle outside. Night Shift had almost forgot that'd been going on, despite the cacophony of howls and yells and shouts from those on the deck. He was more focused on what'd he was participating in, what'd been going on inside...and who he'd heard down below in the cellar.

Freeze Blade looked at everyone's faces for answers. "What is..."

Boom Jet curtly replied. "The Cardmaster. Seadogs. Magic nonsense."

His face lit up with shock and he was galvanized into action, heading for the door.

"Wait, wait, wait! You cannot just leave!" Night Shift shouted. He wouldn't allow that.

"Yeah, Freeze, you just got out of some...weird coma thing. I don't think charging into a battle is the best thing to do right now. Doesn't sound like a good idea." added Boom Jet, who'd stepped in front of the Frost Feline, blocking him. Finally the skysurfer had done something right.

Rattle Shake sidled up next to him. "This might just be great opportunity for him to stretch out his le_—_"

"You are not going," Night Shift spoke his opinion not even a milisecond after; clear, curt, and snappy. _And if you try_, he thought, _I'll rip your throat out._

The Bouncer nodded. "You are right, I am not going. You're not going, Fire Kraken's not going, Boom Jet's not going, and Freeze Blade's not going."

"WHAAT?" Freeze Blade shrieked. "But we've gotta do some_—_"

"Alone. None of us will be going _alone_."

* * *

**Okay, so before anyone gets confused, Trappie had Daddy Issues. He was born premature and was basically pretty runty compared to the rest of his siblings. Turns out he proved him wrong seeing as Trap nearly murdered them all...'cause they tried to drown him in a river. Yeeeah, I'll definitely have to expand on that later. Brotherly love! Makes sense he didn't stop ripping the fur off of Drills.**

**Yup, Wash now has three hearts. What? I think I mentioned it in the story somewhere but octopi have three hearts. No, they don't have tentacle mustaches. And also Spy's real name is Theo. At least in Trek as a headcanon. I just thought it was a cute add-in. I just think it's a cute name, really. The only one I've come up with for the Swappies...but I kinda want to make more.**

**As you can see, my version of the opening of SWAP Force is...a bit gory. You mean to tell me that they just tore apart without the slightest bit of pain? Impossible. Can't just sugarcoat everything with magic. This is Trek! **

**Sundiel260: Of course I'll keep reading Itty Bitty Problem. My weekly dose of Swappers being Swappers. I wuvs it! Yeeeah, Trappie ain't having any of this monkey business(tee-hee). He's crude and likes picking on everyone from time to time, but he's not going to let something like that slide. Protecting his "clanmate" and so on. Still got some_ heart_ in there.**

**icepelt2000: Ah, don't worry. Thumpback can take it. Wolfie, huh? Hmmm...maaaaybe.**

**Zoinks, Scoobs! It's the 3/5 ghost!**

**...no? Alright. **

**(Confused) Secret Agent 3/5: Oh, no! I'll be sure to inform everyone before I do something like that again. I usually put up little things before it like when The Cardmaster was having his night terrors and such. I'll go deeper into their relationship later on, but Trap Shadow and Stink Bomb are two, outcasted nomads going about Cloudbreak in search of mercenary work. That was before they were Skylanders, being all sneaky and anti-hero like. Buncha years ago, basically. So...the past. What wasn't italicized was the present.**

**I can relate to my version of Spy Rise, as well. I think I've made him a TAD bit too skittery and bossy, though. Heh. From what I've read, he's supposed to be all cool and suave, but whatever HEADCANONS. I do what I want! I've put a bit of my pet peeves in there with his fic personality. Not liking touchy people, being a little introverted, sometimes getting snappish when people interrupt my work, yadayada.**

**You wear that dunce hat with pride, 3/5! **

**Guest: ****Wow. You really like Trap Shadow. Doraemon is a robot cat from Japan...and that is all you need to know. I only mentioned him because I found out what Dorayaki was the day I wrote that chapter...and because Doraemon's favorite food is Doraeyaki...and stuff happened. Don't mind me.**

**Guest 2: That sounds interesting. I doubt I'd be able to get to it quick enough, though. School and such. Sorry.**

**Before I go, I'd like to thank SmileyXs Ice-cream Sprinkles for leaving me a favorite. I appreciate it! You guys are all so awesome. **


	25. Tea and Sympathy

_I'll get to the Organic Beings chapters soon. I promise. Things got in the way__—__the desire to draw and skip ahead to fluffy chapters—but I won't let it happen again._

_Hopefully._

_I'm also working on something else, for every chapter I've scrapped, or every one-shot I have festering on my phone. 'Cause I really, really, really want to get to young/pubescent and whiny Swappers already. And I need the data storage._

* * *

_"One, two, three, four, five, six..."_

_His eyes had been covered and his head had been planted against the wall. _

_"Seven, eight..."_

_He paused, letting a grin tear across his face. His legs couldn't seem to stop shaking, nor keep his giggling under control. Excitement was such a strange feeling, like fingers tickling, or ants crawling. It appeared to be the only thing he'd felt since his birthday. _

_His very, very first birthday, when he'd gazed upon his family, when he'd set foot into something he could never have imagined. Could he imagine? Surely he could. He could do anything, everything anyone else could do. Mostly. _

_Theo hadn't known that his excitement would be this strong, rattling at his insides, seizing him. He didn't mind. Dad said that they'd all go away in a month or so. Such jitters were to be expected from one who was still learning how to walk. No, no, he'd been no infant. Infants were too messy, too much to take care of. So very, very uncleanly. Why, he'd been a big boy. Forty-five days old, forty-five days of happiness._

_He could barely contain himself; a squeal burst out from him before he even finished the countdown. "Ready or not, here I come!" He whipped around at the speed of light, cackling. But just as he reached for the door, he heard a crunch, the points of his legs sinking into the carpet...and something else._

_It'd been a piece of paper, scribbled on by crayons. He, ever so clumsily, lowered himself to snatch it up. Yellow__—__he couldn't find a gold crayon__—__and blue formed that of his own figure, while Dad was a mishmash of red and tan. Their black, wormy smiles were smudged, just like the pink butterflies that fluttered about their held hands. _

_Theo didn't carry the same grin, however; a frown had replaced it instead. __"Aw, I was gonna show Dad that..."_

_Dad hadn't been always been in the house. What he did while he was gone Theo did not know. It had to be something important, so important that they couldn't go to the park anymore, so important that they couldn't play tag all day and night. Raincheck after raincheck after raincheck. Theo didn't even know what a raincheck was! But he did know that they were annoying as all get-up._

_His face brightened as he came to a brilliant realization. Dad could fix it! Dad could fix anything!_

_Gaining a second wind, Theo rushed forth, threw open the door, sped down the hallway, and...felt his leg stick through another sheet of paper. Before he could remove it, something caught his eyes. _

_Lots and lots of somethings._

_Notes were plastered all over the wall, some with tape others with pushpins,_

**_Don't forget to walk to D.O.G.! His new legs need stretching!_**

**_There's aspic in the fridge!_**

**_Have dessert AFTER dinner!_**

_So did that mean..._

_He looked back down to see that what he'd skewered through._

**_Sorry, son. I've got business. I won't be back until Friday. Maybe even later. But be sure to keep your chin up and have tons of fun while I'm gone! _**

_On the bottom?_

_An unhappy face. _

_Theo reflected that without flaw._

_Unhappy, indeed._

* * *

He'd been tiring of hearing his own gears clatter against each other, his own oil spill out from underneath. Smoke danced in front of his eyes_—_one its typical green, the other unlit and haunting. Electricity sparked from his frayed wires and his arms drooped even closer to the floor.

Could he die?

Possibly. In a way. Not necessarily.

Spy Rise never really thought about it.

Not until Wash Buckler asked one day. He came to him, all soppy-eyed and sniffling; he'd been as pale as bone. A blubbering mess if the Spyder had ever saw one. Spy Rise thought nothing of it; just another one of his dreams, just another one of his nightmares. He hadn't wanted anything to do with his issue, not after being disturbed from his work. But when he looked further, deeper into his eyes, the Spyder saw nothing but fear. Nothing silly, nothing stupid. Not typical Wash Buckler.

Handing him a glass of red wine, setting him down in a chair, and giving a smile, he explained.

No, no, he could not die.

But he could stop. Stop moving, stop thinking.

Stop living? Why, of course not. He was never alive in the first place_—_he never would be. As much as he told himself, as much as he wanted to believe it, Spy Rise was nothing more than an animated carcass. A husk, supported by wires and gears and hinges.

No flesh, no skin, no hair, no brain, no heart, no nothing.

He'd gotten over it. Magna Charge, not so much. That Ultron had been a lost cause.

So were the chances of Spy Rise ever _moving_ again.

If he'd been back in the Man Cave, it wouldn't have been a problem. But while he was on a boat? No destination set in stone? He could fix himself up, but not without his toolbox. Being proactive, he'd brought everything he needed onboard. With the way these things were going, how was he even supposed to get to it? If he temporarily shut down, how were his teammates supposed to know what to do? What to get rid of, what to keep? What to stay away from, what to reconnect? Why, they'd end up shutting him off completely!

He turned his creaky head to the side at the sound of a sputter.

That'd already been happening.

Having cat claws dig into his insides wasn't exactly how he thought this day would go. Though he hadn't expected to be nearly dismembered by his own leader, either.

"Agh, geez! Gah!" Head covered in oil, Trap Shadow scrambled out from underneath the Spyder. Uncharacteristically, Spy Rise hadn't flinched, nor even cringed, when the smilodon shook off, getting black muck everywhere. "Can't you bottle all that stuff up? It's getting in my eyes." For added effect, the Sneaker coughed. "I can barely see as it is in all this mess."

Spy Rise hadn't even known his voice could go so quiet, so flat. Only crackles in his throat gave him any sort of emotion. "I-I can't see at all..." Even more inaudibly, he added. "...can barely even hear..."

He let out an awkward chuckle. "Probably a good thing."

There'd been a beat a silence, a second of nothingness. Except for the tick-tocking in his head, except for the sparking of endless electricity. He'd rather be listening to the battle. Anything was better than this.

Something slapped him in his side, nearly knocking him off the fronts of his kneeling legs. After hearing a chuff, he could only assume it'd been Trap Shadow...after feeling a paw wet by what Spy Rise dearly hoped was his own oil. "Just a couple of soldiers, withering away, stuck on the sidelines. Just us."

The Spyder was in no talking mood. "Did you repair anything? Anything at all?" He heard some scratching, probably Trap Shadow getting at an itch on his back with a dagger. What he really should've been asking was if he _broke_ anything.

Neither answer came. "What did we ever do to end up this way?"

He creaked his head towards him_—_or in the very least where he heard him_—_and squinted. "What?"

"Exactly what I'm asking. _What_ did we do?" replied Trap Shadow. "I've done a few things. Some, admittedly, better than most. But you...you're just a bottle of secrets. Seeing as we may or may not get out of this alive, I was thinking..." His words trailed off once he realized Spy Rise hung his head. "Don't do that. You'll make it fall off or somethi_—_"

"Yes."

"What?" parroted Trap Shadow, with seemingly the same, hoarse voice; he must've inhaled too much smoke.

"I think that I have done something, something that probably...made me deserve to end up like this."

There'd been a beat of silence...and then it struck.

"Oh."

* * *

_Tap, tap, tap._

_The tips of his legs hammered the wooden floorboards, over and over. He squeezed at the Pufferthorn, stress ball in his hands, fingers gripping as every second passed. Like that of a cartoon, its acrylic eyes popped in and out. Grilla Drilla had given it to him as a joke, but there'd been nothing funny about it, as the squishy stress-reliever saved him, and everyone else, from being shot at plenty of times. He kept it by his side whenever he could. More importantly, it came in handy the most back at the Cave. Its blue-and-yellow hues were slowly fading. He put the goofy-looking ball of rubber to the messily-clad table in front of him, pushing its face in._

_New links to Petrified Darkness, a sought after type of crystalline solid that in price that nearly rivaled the legendary Traptanium, were being discovered every, waking day. B__lack markets had been illegally selling them, some fraud, some not. Either way, smugglers would get what they wanted: cold hard cash. Anyone caught would be arrested for gem-trafficking, fined if they had enough to pay for the damage. Tracking down the perpetrators was easy, but finding where they were getting their bootlegs from proved to be a problem. Strange, seeing as of all the mines they visited, only one even recalled seeing a few fragments of the frozen Darkness._

_A few weeks ago, they thought they'd had the biggest find yet...when it was really the complete opposite. Motleyville might've had one of the biggest black markets in Skylands, but they came to realize that it didn't mean that they had a surplus of Petrified Darkness. __They stormed the place, knocked things aside, turned everything upside down, but found nothing. Nothing but fakes! Though Spy Rise wanted to double-check, Wash Buckler, tired already, only sent Stink Bomb and Trap Shadow to snoop about. Because it wasn't like he had a professional P.I. on his team or anything, right? _

_Spy Rise released a sigh and his grip. What else could he expect from an uneducated Mermasquid raised by a fat Crocogator and a bunch of flea-bitten Seadogs? He shook his head, focusing back onto the problem at hand._

_Was this was Empress Kalamity wanted? Her devious following all behind bars?_

_No, that was dumb. Unless she wanted her Fire Vipers to take a bite out of Cloudcracker, too._

_Spy Rise had been intrigued. Very intrigued._

_In more ways than one._

_During the time of the Giants, Arkeyans used Petrified Darkness to power up their battle-suits, their Conquertrons, their everything! __What it did to technology was phenomenal! What it did to organic lifeforms, however..._

_Not so much._

_That'd been the problem. Not like he cared. Spy Rise hadn't been on board of the concept of sharing, anyway. The others didn't have to know__—__he'd never tell them a thing. He'd been keeping secrets about everything else. Nabbing a few crystals for his own experiments couldn't hurt. And if he was caught, which he wouldn't be, the Spyder could just say he'd been holding it for an Ent researcher or something. No one would ever know the wiser. Knowing his teammates, no one would even ask. _

_Rap, rap, rap._

_"Fire Kraken, not now. I'm working on something, something important. Extremely important!" He'd been working on nothing but trying to find out how many death grips it took for the Pufferthorn to pop. But other than that? No, no, nothing at all. Well, maybe a bit of honing for his antisocial skills. _

_Rap, rap, rap, rap!_

_It'd grown louder, but only a tad bit. Spy Rise lifted his gaze and cast a suspicious glance at the door. Who could that be? Wash Buckler was asleep and Fire Kraken had been the only other Skylander who bothered to barge in on him. But even he would've made his presence known seconds ago, with giggles and snorts. Nothing of the sort could be heard. What Spy Rise did hear was the scrabbling at keyholes, chains releasing, and all of his hard work being taken apart one-by-one. This really, really perplexed him. His teammates weren't the brightest bulbs in the chandelier. Compared to him, at least. Typically they'd resort to smashing the door down, burning it to a crisp, or punching through it completely. Magna Charge, who he considered to beneath him when it came to intelligence, didn't even have a good handle of the concept of knocking yet!_

_The door unlocked...and an odor hit his sensors, that of burnt rubber and unwashed clothes and everything else Spy Rise couldn't stomach to smell._

_A grimace spread across his face as the Swampskunk let himself inside__—__and how rude of him to do so! A grayed, fuzzy backpack far too small for him to wear was tight in his grip. A childhood gift, Spy Rise remembered what Trap Shadow told him. _

_Childhood gift from the dumpster. He could feel his uneasy gears turning already._

_His eyes drifted towards the fan on the table..._

_The Spyder jammed its button within a heartbeat. If the room had windows, he would've put them up. If he had a gas mask, he would've put it on. If he could teleport, he would've. And fast. _

_Stink Bomb didn't seem to notice his discomfort, looking around. Those pale eyes of his never did Spy Rise any favors; he could never tell what he was thinking, what he was planning to do. If it weren't for those bushy eyebrows, his mumbles, and the occasional frizzle of his tail, the Spyder assumed he wouldn't even be able to smell anymore. _

_He shut the door with a harsh slam and his tail brushed up aside its front, leaving a green streak. Spy Rise wanted to squeak. The skunk took a tentative sniff at the air and drew back with a gag. "I'll assume this is where all the cleaning supplies ran off to. It smells like a hospital in here," he gave a forced, faint laugh. Strange for Stink Bomb, seeing as he typically cackled and chortled at his own jokes._

_Was he feeling down?_

_The grimace widened. So, so, so, so much. "Yes, well, living in a pigsty can make one go a bit, as you say, overboard with much-needed cleanliness." In a mutter through gritted teeth, he added. "Not like you'd understand..."_

_Stink Bomb wasn't exactly...the cleanliness of fellows. _

_Yes, he took a liking to tidying up the Cave._

_Yes, he nearly always excused himself from the premises __whenever he had to 'go' as easily amused, giggling Freeze Blade put it._

_Yes, he combed and brushed evenly through his fur._

_Everything had improved since their days stabbing unhealthy, cylindrical blobs of sugary death and roasting them over fires..._

_...besides the smell. _

_You'll get used to it, Wash Buckler kept telling him, it'd take a couple of months, but you'll get used to it. _

_Spy Rise hadn't gotten used to it._

_He didn't want to have his sensors malfunction every time he got near him, so they didn't really talk much at all. Maybe once or twice on a mission, but not any more unless the coffee maker was broken__—__Stink Bomb got little fussy if he didn't get his morning, non-dairy cream, black silk decaf, and fussy skunks weren't anything to sneeze at__—or if they'd teamed up to take care of the laundry, which could be quite arduous get through. Perhaps the Swampskunk didn't like him so much, either. From all his experiences with tea-sipping, scarf-wearing hipsters, he heard the word yuppie being thrown about every time he said something 'out of line'. He wasn't even sure if that was an insult or not; if anything, by definition, it sounded more like a compliment. _

_The Spyder tried to conceal the stress-ball behind his back. What was he doing here? Why was he here? Spy Rise fit his voice with heat; perhaps that'd scare him off. "Stink Bomb, this is an unauthorized area. You don't belong here."_

_"I know," he nodded. "I know I came in unannounced. It's just that I really need some place to stay for a bit."_

_Spy Rise stared at him as if he'd grown nine tails, raising a brow. "You have a room."_

_"Yeah, but__—__"_

_"There are other rooms to go to. Unfinished, perhaps, but they'll do fine."_

_"I know__—__"_

_"Why don't you just__—__"_

_"Spy Rise, I can't stand it!" __The Spyder flinched; he barely even knew Stink Bomb's voice could grow so loud. The Spyder looked on with worry as the Swampskunk breathed in and out, as if he'd just ran to the Outlands and back. One didn't have to be a private investigator to realize what'd been going on. _

_Blinking baggy, raccoon eyes, the shinobi scrubbed away at sleep and the straggling tears that threatened to roll down his cheek. He tried to recover, taking slower breaths, and put a paw on the back of his neck. "I haven't been having the best of days. You barely ever do, either." Spy Rise would've snorted then if he hadn't been face-to-face with an obviously unhappy skunk; he didn't want to upset him further and risk the consequences. "I-I just...really, really need someone to talk to. I don't...I don't know what's happening to this team. Something's wrong. Like there's a cloud of doom and depression hanging over everyone. And W__ash always says you can fix anything, so I thought that maybe..."_

_He didn't have many more options. "Come in. Just don't touch anything. I don't want to be scrubbing green off my inventions all-day. And don't sniffle so much, it'll get on my nerves."_

_"...really?"_

_Spy Rise felt his brows knit together. What in Skylands had the skunk meant? "Yes. Yes, really."_

_"Thank y__—"__ he started._

_"None of that needed. Just__—__"_

_Stink Bomb's stomach whined. __Taking note of the disturbed look on Spy Rise's face, he rose a hand, as if to stop the Spyder from forcing him back outside. "I didn't have much of an appetite this morning. Not like I could even get my way over to a toaster without taking an aspirin first..." His eyes did a quick roll before he continued. "I packed a few, little things with me for my mission earlier, but I was so deadset on getting back to the Cave that I forgot. Is it alright if I eat in here?"_

_"So long as you don't get anything anywhere." _

_"I won't."_

_With that taken care of, Spy Rise eased his grip on the stress-ball...and felt his legs tap against the floorboard again. Wash Buckler couldn't have chosen a more inopportune time to fall ill! And why'd everyone just so suddenly want to skin each other? Even he, Spy Rise, couldn't wrap his head around it. He felt his merciless hand go back to crunching up the Pufferthorn. _

_"Uh, Spy?"_

_He focused back onto Stink Bomb, who had a bottle of uncapped mineral water in hand._

_Stink Bomb wiped his lips and a smug smirk crossed them. "I thought you said you didn't like watching people eat..."_

_Spy Rise drew back. "Me? Perish the thought! Of course I don't. All of those grotesque noises, what happens after it slithers into the intestines. Horrifying. I've no reason to stare at you stuffing your face like a fat hog. Besides you weren't even eating then; you were drinking. There's a complete difference."_

_He shrugged and scratched at something on his arm. "Well, good to hear you haven't changed much, brassbutt."_

_"Brassbutt?" the Spyder gave a bark of mock mirth. "Looks who's talking! I'm not the one who has to deal with unconscious birds falling on my head whenever I eat takeout!"_

_His face paled and his tail drooped, bringing itself into his lap. "Yeah, well, I__—__" Crackles in his voice cut him off short. His gaze lowered, something along the lines of a whimper and a mumble escaping him. __Spy Rise almost rose a brow. That was...surprising. Last time he checked, Stink Bomb only found pride in what he could do with his innermost strength. __He didn't recall the skunk being the sensitive type unless it came to Shakespearean dramas._

_Besides the times when Trap Shadow left. Two times, to be exact. Maybe even more depending on all the times the smilodon abandoned him in marketplaces. __A frown formed on the Spyder's face. What a terrible caretaker, he thought. Though that'd honestly been expected; Trap Shadow didn't keep good eye on anything that wasn't game. If the ninja and spy could bond over anything, it'd be their misfortune of being letdown over and over again._

_"So, uh, Spydey," Stink Bomb forced the nickname out as if it'd been something Arkeyan. Spy Rise wasn't surprised he continued his attempts of trying to spark conversation; the Swampskunk was as resilient as a cockroach. "How's your, er, day been going?" It sounded like he'd been unsure of even asking._

_Was it strange of him to actually want to answer? Usually that had only been a question an overly-enthusiastic Mermasquid asked him whenever he came down the stairs. Seeing as that overly-enthusiastic Mermasquid was suffering from what Spy Rise could only assume was a fever, Spy Rise hadn't heard it in a while. _

_"It's going...better than most," Spy Rise gave a half-nod. "Been really busy, though. Super busy. Unbelievably busy."_

_Stink Bomb used a chomped-on, apple slice to point at the Spyder, munching idly._

_"What?" Great Ancients, was there a bug on him? A big bug? No, that couldn't be it; Stink Bomb should've been drooling like a sozzled Seadog._

_The slice moved to the left and lowered._

_"Oh."_

_He'd forgotten he was still squeezing the faux spines off the stress-ball. _

_Stink Bomb let out a chuckle he'd obviously been holding in._

_"When did you become Night Shift? Only he can enjoy such dark comedy. What would you do if I happened to say that this was made from real Pufferthorn?"_

_"I'd dismember you, of course. Easily, seeing as you're just made of gears and stuff."_

_Spy Rise stiffened at the statement, eyes just as wide as his mouth that hung agape. _

_Stink Bomb simply dipped the half-bitten slice in caramel, stuffed it into his mouth, and chewed. He put a cupped claw to his mouth to muffle a burp__—__an improvement by any means considering the unruly Mermasquid he looked up to. It wasn't until then that he noticed the Spyder had been staring. He gave a slight smile. "Heh. Gomenasai..."_

_Definitely not putting Spy Rise's mind at ease._

_He tried again, smile stretching just like the timid, unsure drawl in his voice. "Excuse me...?"  
_

_What was that? Did he...was Stink Bomb threatening him? Surely he'd just been joking. _

_A look of worry crossed the skunk's face. "Are you having a power outage again?"_

_"Hm?" He'd been snapped out of his daze. "Oh, no, no, not at all. I was just a little surprised."_

_"Understandable. People say that a lot when that happens."_

_"When you claw out wires and snap legs off?" Almost out of his daze._

_"N-no..." Stink Bomb scrunched his face up, cocked his head, squeaked. "What'd make you say that? What'd I do?"_

_The Spyder chose not to mention what'd happened only seconds ago with an outburst, instead deciding to go with some good-spirited humor. __"Good Eon. Sounds like someone didn't get their decaf today."_

_He squinted again...but it didn't take long for him to cringe in realization and blurt as fast as he could. "A-ancients, I-I barely even knew I said that! Sorry, Spy. Really. I meant nothing by it!" The skunk looked away. "__I'__m...getting a bit moodier nowadays. No decaf today. Jasmine __tea instead. And I would've made it better if it hadn't been for EVERYONE going at each others' throats. Besides Freeze Blade. I'm not sure what his secret is, because even I snapped at a few of them." Stink Bomb drooped his eyelids and sighed. "Wasn't my best effort. For both. Freeze helped me clean up anything I spilled in my stupor...which happened to be a lot. It was too early in the morning, too early even for me.__ I tried talking to him before I talked to you, but, once everyone went up to their rooms like pubescent preteens, we fell asleep on the couch. __I feel bad, though. I probably kicked him a lot. He didn't seem too upset, as he only smiled at me when I apologized. I hope he's still smiling._

_"The radio listing off a robbery woke me up. I thought maybe it'd take my mind off things. And it did until I grew worried of what'd become of the Cave. Moreover, what'd become of Wash Buckler." Spy Rise wanted to stop him right there. Was Stink Bomb always so worrisome? And yet they said that the Spyder was a worrywart? He'd been sure that he had repeated himself around one-thousand times, answering the harried questions from a squeaky Frost Feline kit and an Ultron who should've known better. Wash Buckler only had a mere bug! Just an upset stomach and nothing more. "I checked on him, by the way. I found out that that'd been where Maggie was hanging out. I don't think he'll be leaving anytime soon. I sure wouldn't. I also, unfortunately, found out that Blast Zone had found his new, hiding spot. If it weren't for him, I would be in there, too. He forced me out. I'm not even sure why. It's not like I was doing anything wrong. He just...he just snapped."_

_Of course; he should've known. "Blast Zone gets a little...protective when it comes to our safety," said Spy Rise, sighing in-between._

_Stink Bomb twisted up his lip and looked away. "Hh. Yet he didn't even act like he cared when Hoot Loop got mange."_

_"That's a fair observation," Spy Rise had to agree. He didn't want to expand on that further; somehow, someway, he knew it'd bite him in the thorax later. "So, how's everyone else?" the spy asked, changing the topic. "Surely there's a few that are at least tolerable. I mean, Boom Jet can't be anymore distasteful than usual, right?"_

_"Probably busy—" His fingers curled in to make quotation marks and he scowled in disgust."__—with his magazines. Gaki."_

_"What about Night Shift? From what I understand, you two are on fairly good terms. Most of the time." Night Shift liked silence, Stink Bomb didn't talk much. Spy Rise couldn't make much more of their relationship besides the fact that Stink Bomb would actually listen to the old bat's stories and that, being Undead, Night Shift didn't seem to mind the smell of a thousand rotting bodies, or rather the chemical compound stained into Swampskunk fur. __Though it didn't automatically mean the Life Skylander was safe from a few punches here and there. In his words, the skunk was decent at best. _

_"I picked up a newspaper for him while I was out, but I haven't seen him. I caught Freeze Blade staring out the window earlier, so I guess he's out there somewhere with..." Stink Bomb cut his trail of words away with a huff. Or maybe it was a growl. Either way, it didn't sound too pleasant; harsh and throaty._

_"Something wrong?" Spy Rise was almost afraid too ask. Could Swampskunks get rabies? He wasn't sure if he wanted to ask that either._

_"Shadow's wrong!" The Spyder immediately wished he hadn't asked; Stink Bomb would wake the dead if he kept shouting. "He only thinks of himself! I haven't seen him in days! Half the time he was here he was just laying around and disobeying orders! He wouldn't leave for a third time, would he? So infuriating. S-so stressing! Why leave at a time like this? Is he afraid? Is he afraid of Kalamity or something? I don't under__—__" In a fit of rage, he sent his bag halfway across the room...along with the rest its contents. _

_Sharp fragments of purple crystals slid along the floorboard, various shapes and sizes. _

_"My word..." the Spyder breathed. "I didn't know you had it in you..."_

_Stink Bomb had already rose onto his feet, blurting fevered apologies. "I was going to tell you sooner, but—don't pick it up! It could hurt you! It stings!"_

_Spy Rise studied a sizable chunk in his hand. His eyes lit up; they were real. "You didn't go to a robbery."_

_"I know it all seems crazy__—"_

_"You went back to the market, didn't you?"_

_"It was like they were talking to__—"_

_"There was Petrified Darkness for sale, wasn't there?"_

_"Don't tell him!_

_"This is brilliant!" whooped Spy Rise. "You're brilliant!"_

_His tail dipped down. "...what?"_

_"I won't," he smiled, something wormy and wry. "I won't tell a soul."_

_And so was the start of a beautiful friendship..._

_...and the beginning of bad omens for the Guardians of Cloudbreak._

* * *

Bottles of mead clattered together in their keeps on the wall, kegs below rolling about on the floor and spilling out their contents as the ship swayed.

Snuffling and sniffing, he kept a hard hold on the ripped-up cloth that Stink Bomb had given him, using it to pinch his bleeding nose. Usually the stench of the _Mongrel's_ cellar was only that of alcohol incense, rank and intense. Today it'd been overpowered by what'd been going on above, made up of fright and fury, Seadogs and Skylanders alike.

He would know. His sniffer never lied.

Pressed up against the wall, Rotclaw shivered and shuddered, eyes welted and face bruised.

What happened? How'd that happen? He didn't do it_—_he didn't stab him. It wasn't him! Something came over him, overtook him. He would never do that to someone! What a cowardly way to attack! All he remembered was a golden-clad fist pounding into his face, all he remembered was pain. Why would he ever attack a Skylander? He was on their side! It wasn't him!

His panicked thoughts had been disturbed by a cackle, long and deranged.

That was his son.

Dread struck through him like a spear.

He remembered. He remembered the seagull, the one on his steering wheel, the one that'd been inspirited by...

Rotclaw shot up onto his feet.

That was _his_ son.

* * *

Their hearts drummed in sync, riled and rapid like that of percussion. Shouts and snarls, with the occasional impact of a hook, added vocals to the vehement orchestra. A song of warfare, a tune of struggle.

Devils danced.

Violet hues stared down at the bright blue that seeped out from The Cardmaster's gritted teeth, the foam that it meshed with. Waiting, waiting, Dark Wash Buckler felt his insides coil with excitement, anticipation. Seadogs and Skylanders fought all-around them, but who'd been winning was only up to whom cared. He hadn't been one of those people. Why would he? When his prey was so close in sight, when his target was locked? All that it took was a simple shove of a blade into his skull, a drill that pierced through his brain and left it bleeding. The Mermasquid almost cooed at the image.

Then everything would be over.

Then the Darkness would rise.

Then_—_

He hadn't been focused.

Fiery claws came out at him, frenzied and crazed. One caught themselves against his face, branding him with a pawprint and a slash that ripped through flesh. Wash Buckler's shriek was silenced when a leg catapulted into his stomach. He was forced back into the sea of overworked canines, shoved and pushed. He struck out with his cutlass when someone rolled over a tentacle, practically squashing it. What it met with had only been stone.

Why'd that keep happening? Stupid Mermasquid! This body had been ditzy, clutzy! Upright awful!

Doom Stone hadn't looked tired in the least bit, a frown etched across his carved face. "Oh, come on! You're still like this?"

He wanted to screech at him, drive his cutlass through him, but the gladiator Skylander went away before he could do anything.

Anything else besides stare at the carnage he'd spawned.

His eyes had landed on Spy Rise...and his skin became splotched with white. "Theo..." he croaked.

"Get back here, Skylander! Fight me like the man you boast you are!"

No. He couldn't lose focus_—_he couldn't fall for that Spyder's tricks, his pitiful need of tea and sympathy. This'd all been his doing in this first place! Now he just had to deal with it.

He had to deal with the monster he created.

Giving a shout, the Mermasquid stormed out of the crowds, wildly shooting a barrage of piranha-filled bubbles...only to realize The Cardmaster wasn't there. Then he felt it.

He'd forgotten there'd been a blade deep in his back. When the hilt stirred, it'd been already too late for Dark Wash Buckler, shaken by surprise, to react.

"Let me get that for you,_ friend_!" The Cardmaster trilled, all too cheerfully. A searing-hot claw jammed itself into his back, eating away cloth, and roasting skin. Dark Wash Buckler bellowed like an animal; he could smell his own flesh being cooked. The Cardmaster could, too, as drool dripped onto the Mermasquid's tentacles. "Now this'll only sting a little!" He wasn't wrong; the leader of the SWAP Force barely even felt it, paralyzed by the pain of the fire. "It'll all go away so_—_" Before he could force the knife back in, Dark Wash Buckler managed to knock the Seadog off his feet with the swipe of a tentacle.

The knife hadn't fallen from his hands. It stuck upright, kept tight in his grasp.

Dark Wash Buckler mentally cursed; why couldn't he have just landed on it?

"Oh, do something new, why don't you?" The Cardmaster was up within seconds, scoffing. "That has to be the fifth time I've seen you do_—_"

His tentacle coiled around his smoking paw, squeezing. Then he twisted, sharply, cleanly. A yelp smothered over the sound of a wrist being broken, bones popping. Another tentacle. It lashed out and connected with the side of his skull, whipping, whipping, whipping. This was fun! Once, twice, thrice, until it grew bored and wrapped around his neck, squeezing the breath out of him. Another. It clashed squarely into the Seadog's jaw. The sheer force of the impact almost hurt Dark Wash Buckler. Still fun.

_**SNAP!**_

A burst of blood, slobber, and teeth exploded from The Cardmaster's maw, as did a gasp. His brutalized maw. It'd been dislocated_—_no, fractured, broken and beaten. He fell forward with a gurgling grunt, catching himself on his bad paw. Snuffling in and out from his cut nose, struggling to breathe, the shocked Seadog looked up at Wash Buckler with widened eyes.

The Mermasquid hadn't flinched at his appearance. He felt a cruel smile tug at his lips; he'd been satisfied with his work. Though the Darkness inside him squashed the sight. He wasn't goofy, he wasn't dumb.

He was victorious!

Staggering, The Cardmaster tried to raise to his feet...

The suction-cupped fingers around his cutlass' hilt tensed.

It'd been one, fell blow, a strike into the midriff and a slice up. Fresh crimson sprayed across Wash Buckler, splattering against his shadowy skin. His mustache curled up in great delight, his bloodstained face burning with fervent bliss. Jubilance! Merriment! It tickled at his skin, switching out his leftover blues and patchy blacks with bright swirls of pink and lavender. Euphoria and ecstasy, they showed all over him, from his tentacles up. He opened his eyes, feeling the joy about to burst out from him in a hearty, happy chuckle...

The feeling stopped.

He did not lie below his feet. Only a corsair stood before him.

Just another Seadog. Just_—_

The Cardmaster howled out an incomprehensible shriek, one that seemed to ring on and echo forever.

Rotclaw stood before him.

Blood bubbled out from his maw, from the awful slit across his front. Down and down to his legs it went, gathering at his feet, muddling his fur, coating his paws. Out his snout, out the corner of his eyes. A dissected frog he was, propped up and open by nothing but pins and needles, by his very, last breaths of air. Something of a scream tried to bring itself forth...

It did not escape, for only red, dark foam did. It would never escape.

He fell. Keeled over. Collasped.

A marionette, strings cut from its form. A snared animal, released from its noose.

Innards, freed from their body, spilled out beneath him, fluids gathering in a pool that grew and grew by the second. Like father like son, to his side The Cardmaster went. He finished that scream for him. The sound was fueled by not anger, but anguish; not fury, but sorrow. Agonized and pained, it caught the attention of everyone on an instant.

Their faces...

...they were horrified.

Wash Buckler felt something strike his brain. Hoot Loop?

Voices. Chaotic and unrestrained, all in unison, all sonorous.

Looking sick to his stomach, Stink Bomb had dropped to his knees, paws over his mouth; a new shade of green appeared across his face. His mind was set onto an infinite loop. All fruitless attempts to calm himself down and keep his stomach contents inside. _No...no...that didn't happen. No dead bodies, none at all. I didn't just see a disemboweled Seadog flop to the floor. Wash Buckler didn't do anything—no dead dogs at all. _It kept resetting whenever his eyes sent themselves adrift, to gaze, to stare. _No, no, we're Skylanders. We don't kill innocents—we've never killed an innocent, no less elders. This isn't happening. Wh-why am I so bothered by this? I'm a ninja. I've spilled blood before...but this...isn't right. Not right, not real. W-why am I..._

A few tears traveled down from his wincing eyes. He moved his paws away to let out a quick cry before bringing them back. _Stop. I'm stronger than this._

Doom Stone had hung his head, sword set in front; he took his eyes away from the cadaver. _A leader must do what they have to. Even if it means taking a life. But I didn't imagine it'd be so...ghastly. I didn't imagine it'd be like this. Is this right? Rotclaw was just...trying to protect his son. Anyone would do that for their own blood. Common sense right there. Family protects family. So was killing the guy really necessary? He wasn't going to kill Wash Buckler, was he? Didn't look like it._

Trap Shadow had his ears pressed against his head; a rumble left from him. His thoughts were unclear and unfocused, almost clouded in a way.

Magna Charge, quivering, slunk into the shadows; a slow whir produced itself from his maw and he shook his head, as if he didn't want to believe what he'd seen. The inside of his mind was just as muddled as Trap Shadow's, but more like static from a television set, disordered and rather disarranged.

Blast Zone_—_oh, poor Blast Zone_—_looked to be one who'd be taking this the worst. His form shook, his armor quavered and clacked. Jittery breaths escaped from him. Succinct, shivering. It was as if he'd been on the verge of tears...and that was exactly that. He _couldn't_ cry. That was physically impossible for a furnace knight. So he was just...stuck there, hovering. The outlook of his flaming eyes didn't tear themselves away from the carnage. Something horrid was playing around in his head_—_something graphic. There'd been a blinding flash, the sound of an activated explosives following soon after. Lightning after thunder, bodies after bombings. There were so many...corpses. Torched beyond recognition, seared all the way to the bone. Limbs were blasted off and masses of flesh were scattered across the blackened fields.

Wash Buckler's eyes widened...and watered.

Had he really brought that up?! Was that really what he said?! He felt a tear roll down his face. No, no, no, he didn't mean to say that. Three hearts broke a little at Blast Zone's thoughts, _I could've saved him! I could've stopped this! How could this happen again? How could I let this happen again? This is all my fault. It...this all happened because of me. I'm so stupid, I'm so pathetic. W-why...why do I keep killing? Why does this keep happening?!_

Wash Buckler tried his best to sympathize. "BZ, no, I_—_this didn't happen because of you. I_—_"

The Cardmaster snapped his head up at him with something that sounded like the start of a snarl...but his expression dropped, the glow of his eyes faded, and his voice melted into a mush of whimpers and whines. He squeezed his paws around the listless, bleeding body.

_Sqqueaaak..._

Attention was set onto the door that led to the Malicious Mongrel's sleeping quarters, as five Swappers slunk out.

Night Shift took one glance at the dead Seadog before drifting back inside the dorm, without any words at all. Wash Buckler didn't have a chance to read him, as the thoughts erupting from Freeze Blade's head had given the Mermasquid too much to handle. Far too much. That was expected, surely, but never had he expected it to be in such a manner.

_We killed someone—we are monsters—we're a plague—we burned—we killed—we took so many lives—we're taking lives—so many lives—we're abominations—I'm an abomination._

Wash Buckler didn't think they'd be _that_ jumpy. His attention was abruptly shifted by the sound of a curious snuffling. Fire Kraken, having his eyes covered by Boom Jet's hands, asked a multitude of questions. "So did we win? What happened? I wanna see!"

"Krak, this is something you definitely DO NOT want to see," Thinking quickly, the skysurfer forced Fire Kraken back inside and shut the door. Good choice. Fire Kraken probably would've have able to handle so much of the scene. Though Boom Jet looked as if he was having some troubles of his own. He was quivering, having to turn himself away from the mess on the floor so he didn't make a bigger one. _Nope! No, no, no. Too much blood for me today. _His head peeked behind him, but hurriedly turned forth._ Oh, geez! It's Rotclaw—It really is Rotclaw. Well, let's just look on the brighter side of things. At least he can be with Rosemary...right? No, stop, Boom Jet, this isn't the time._

His thoughts were cut off by Freeze Blade's own, as it seemed to be growing more and more louder by the second.

They stopped.

_**SLLNK!**_

Someone gasped.

Rattle Shake threw his arms around Freeze Blade, restraining him as he squirmed like a fish in his grasp, and shrilled. "Mierda!"

"W-wash..." Blast Zone shakily started. "Y-your arm..."

Wash Buckler's gaze drifted down to the floor, where he found what he'd been missing. Cutlass still in hand, it did not twitch, for it'd been frozen.

"Stop it!" Freeze Blade yowled, trying to tug his chakram away from Free Ranger, whose taloned feet were slipping and sliding in spreading oil. "I'm doing everyone a favor!"

"You're insane!"

"I'm the only sane one here!"

Before he could counter back, Free Ranger stomped on something...

...something that beeped.

"_Initiating: Crackler Mine in ten, eight, six__—__FZzZ—_"

"What is that?" The feathers on the rooster's neck hackled. "What did it say? A mine? Is that a bomb?! Why is it skipping numbers?!"

Blast Zone stared at the black liquids snaking across the floor for a split second before shouting, "**MOVE!**"

The Malicious Mongrel exploded into a fiery cloud of colors. Red-and-blue, purple-and-green, sparks flew everywhere and lit up the sky.

The only thing left standing? Half of the ship, planks of wood, bottom halves...

...and a wand raised up by a dog-paddling owl. And three, fuzzy heads following behind him.

* * *

**_Look at LiteFox's wondrous onomatopoeia. I don't know what an icy chakram going through octopus flesh sounds like!_**

**_What's that? Why, yes. Krankcase is not related to Spydey at all in my canon! Truthfully, I don't think he ever was. _**

**_Spy and Stink being lab partners? Whaaaat? Why would Stink Bomb do such a thing? Just like Night Shift's relationship with snow and Trap Shadow's relationship with his father, I'll explain. Everything will come full circle! Random, inspirited not-Rudy seagull from Family Matters? Came full circle. Snapper venom? Came full circle...and kinda-sorta turned Freeze Blade feral. I swear, it'll all make sense soon! When have I ever lied to you? _**

**_Yeah, yeah, Organic Beings chapter! I know!_**

**_Sundiel260: Of course Night Shift cares! He just doesn't quite know how to show it yet. In time~_**

**_Wildfire and Trap Shadow Fanboy: What's wrong with Ail? She's just trying to be a good mother. :'( Sort of. I'll take your suggestions into consideration, but I'm not sure if all of them will happen._**

**_I thought I'd just go over a few headcanons just for giggles, some of which will be demonstrated in Organic Beings, some demonstrated here, but I just thought it'd be a nice addition._**

**_-Besides the cup of his favorite coffee and a sugary tea, Stink Bomb eats rather healthy. He'l__l typically switch out the Cave's snacks for low-fat versions of themselves, much to the Swappers' chagrin. Though when it gets snowier outside, like most fuzzy, woodland critters, Stink Bomb feasts like his stomach is nothing more than a black hole._**

**_-Little Theo liked to scare his father with a 'boo!' every time he comes home. This somewhat passes on to Spy Rise, as he doesn't like to be snuck up upon himself, but he happens to frighten a few of his teammates even when he doesn't mean to. The click-clack of his legs and the spidery shadow isn't too pleasant in the dark of the night._**

**_-Rubble Rouser is the second-eldest of the Swappers. Because who doesn't like gruffy ol' rock grandpas? _**

**_-Blast Zone gets...upset whenever anyone brings up what furnace knights did in the war, something I will DEFINITELY expand on, something that I'm excited to expand on later. His past isn't too pretty._**

**_Kudos to Technow. The word "brassbutt" still makes me grin, just like the rest of your Skylanders fics. XD_**

**_Now leave me. I've the hankering to listen to the Star Wars soundtrack. Maybe a few DreamWorks soundtracks, too. And, alright, a bit of Skylanders in-between._**

**_(just realized I wrote that Stink Bomb shut the door with a harsh kick. How does that even work? The door was open! I don't even know anymore. Fixed.)_**


	26. Mother May I

_**HERE IT ISSSS! **_

_**Unfortunately, it kind of breaks away from the main story as of now and focuses a bit on Wash more than anything else. Isn't so terribly long. Be expecting rewrites of a few chapters soon. I feel more confident in my writing; when I read back to the first few, I feel as if there can be some MAJOR improvements. Just something that's been bothering me. **_

_**Especially Family Matters. **_

_**That was a long, convoluted mess.**_

_**I honestly never knew so many people really, really enjoy this fic. Huge thanks to Fangirl-Does-Write for the fan-art! It really made my day. Seriously, thanks! Thanks to all my Trekkies! Just seeing the traffic counter go up a bit warms my heart! Ya'll da best~**_

_**Was initially going for a Seven Deadly Sins and Heavenly Virtues theme, but, eh, didn't like how it turned out. Just went too out-of-character and left a bad taste in my mouth. I said "Wash would never do that!" a lot. Somethings just seemed WAY too heartless for him. And he's got three hearts! Three hearts of gold. The Wash and Spy parts were my favorite to write. :P Didn't get to expand on Phia and Skullcap as much as I wanted to, but I'll have time to do that in Untold. **__**Hit me up through PM if you've got any burning questions. Don't think I can answer when the next chapter will be, but I can confirm little things. **_

* * *

Cold. Chilling. ...cruel. He would survive; he'd always manage. He could breathe, he could thrive. This was his element. This was supposed to be his home. But...he didn't like it. He didn't want to be here. Why was he here? How'd he end up like this? Where were his teammates? Where were his friends? Where was his family?

Sinking, sinking, slowly, Wash Buckler kept his eyes sealed shut. The fiery flashes from above had stung them, his skin seared, wounds opened. He felt water seeping into them, pricking at his insides with smarting salt. Blue blood streamed up from his limp body, a few fish ushering towards him to investigate, nipping his tentacles and brushing against his clothes. He flinched, eyes opening, and felt his ink sac explode. Much to his surprise, they hadn't fled, their nubby mouths still tasting his skin. Mucus, he presumed, as he always produced far more whenever he felt frightened.

Then he heard something. They heard it, too, and left his body alone.

A moan. Deep and low.

A bigger fish. Or, in this case, a mammal. In pain.

Next to him, a Land Whale took a slow descend to the bottom of the sea, his own chain seemingly turned against him as it quickened his fall. Wash Buckler's hearts jumped. If Thumpback wouldn't get up, rise up, then he'd surely drown, something a Mermasquid would never even have to think about.

He needed help.

Just as soon as he, with the push of his tentacles and a blast from his funnel, managed to get himself upright, something caught his eye, his attention. In the murkiness in front of him, dark and inky as he'd obscured everything in his fear, popped a single light.

An anglerfish. Female, its body bloated and puffy. Her fins were jagged, teeth jetting up from her jaws like a cluster of crystals, and her bioluminescent light shone a bright purple, something unnatural, abnormal.

Attractive.

His eyes dilating, the Mermasquid found himself stuck, transfixed onto her beauty. And, when she turned around, he followed, as fast as he could. It all happened far too quickly. The water drained from the sea, the world went dark...

...and his body fell flat onto something hard, something he presumed was a floor. With a groan and the push of his hands, he

Wait. Hands?

His limbs usually regrew quickly, but not that quickly. Feeling his tentacles brush over something fuzzy, the Mermasquid looked down to find a red carpet, extended underneath him and beyond. In the far distance, he could hear music.

Hope, it sprang his hearts into his throat, sent a smile across his face. He hurried his pace, tentacles slapping at the hard floor as he raced forth. "Dudes, dudes, I'm—" As the image drew closer, he stopped, froze.

Evilized Greebles.

Using only their grubby hands, they hungrily stuffed their cheeks full with the assortment of foods spread across their table.

His joy, his glee, had been gone.

Swallowed up like a minnow in shark-infested waters, crushed like minerals in an Earth Dragon's jaws. His skin flashing red, he couldn't be bothered with these games. "Alright, who's there? Quit messing with my head; Ancients know I've had enough of that today."

As if to reply, he heard a chuff, felt hot air push into his back. Wash Buckler whipped out his cutlass and stared right into the eyes of a Bubba Greebs, one of the many deformities among their strange kind, with fleshy masses on their hides, limp arms, and plenty of eyes.

But this one was different. No, not in the amount of his tumors, nor the tusks jetting from his jaws. He was adorned in a tuxedo, a rose poking out from their collar, a handkerchief in their pouch, and a lidded platter on their outstretched hand. And their voice! Not garbled and gravely, but silvery and modulated. In the way it carried a fancy aloofness that reminded him a bit of one that belonged to a furnace knight. "Ah, Mr. Buckler. Glad you could make it. 'Tis a please to see you. Come, right this way. Mistress Kalamity—"

His cutlass raised and pressed itself into the fat that hung from the malformed Greeble's chin, not hard enough to stab, but enough to send fear. "What'd you say?" he spat.

"M-my word," he backed up, but Wash Buckler followed. "Now, Mr. Buckler, th-there's no need for—"

"Is she here? Did she do this to me?! Did she make me go Dark?"

"I'm sure we can all discuss this nicely at the ta—"

"WHERE IS SHE?!"

The Bubba Greebs, or rather Butler Greebs, gave a whine and, after dropping the platter, lowered himself to the floor. Was it a bow? A sign of surrender? Whatever it was, it wasn't giving Wash Buckler any answers. He wrapped a tentacle around one of the Greeble's horns, lifting his head up. "Tell me or I'll..." His grip released, as laughter oozed into his earholes.

"You'll what, Skylander?"

Cutlass left, gun right.

Aimed at the feminine figure that, raised up on high heels, strode towards him.

Her hair was bundled up in blue beads, into her traditional style of curved horns. She held a handbag close to her side, one made of studded Crocogator scales, occupied by a panting hellhound, and zippered in gold. Gold like her earrings, gold like the necklace hanging over her chest. And her dress? It looked as if she'd killed a peacock and stretched its skin over her lanky, finesse form, as a plumage sprouted behind her head. "Do you like it?" she observed, for his glare faltered. "I knew you would! I got dressed up just for you. Royal blue, you know; it's a goodie-goodie color, but sometimes it works. Like on me. Thought it'd fit better, this being your favorite color and all. And the feathers, ooo, the finishing touch. Fancy, aren't they?"

Insatiable rage bubbled up inside him, turned his skin as red as a pickled beet, face feeling as fiery as a furnace. His garbled, growling voice matched that of a bulldog. "I should cut that oversized head of yours off and boil it."

Empress Kalamity burst out into hysterics, pure peals of laughter, before making a cooing noise and placing a hand over her chest. "But you won't, will you?"

"Take me back. Take me back or else."

"Empty threats on an empty stomach."

"I don't want your food! I want to go back!"

"How rude. I let you into my dreamscape and you throw a hissy fit over wanting to leave?"

Dreamscape? Wash Buckler lowered his weapons. So this wasn't real? This was a fake?

"There you go. See? No need for violence."

Before he could ask any questions, or rather demand for answers, Wash Buckler found himself being escorted by Butler Greebs, nudged in the back by his big head. The Greeble even pulled out a seat for him, one that the Mermasquid thoroughly inspected before sitting down in. He hadn't recognized a single thing that was laid out in front of him. Animal appendages, cooked guts, and a whole lot more he'd only consider food in a life-or-death situation. On the plate Butler Greebs gave him lay a plump arthropod, its exoskeleton cooked red and its eyes baked to a lightly-toasted brown. Yellow fluids leaked out from its mouth, bubbling and spluttering. Wash Buckler could've sworn he still heard it hissing, giving its last breaths.

"Stomach ruptured. Tastes better when everything mixes together in one, big harmony. Like a song." Empress Kalamity then smirked, crudely, before popping a bulbous eyeball into her mouth. "Or a team." she added, around the slimy orb that poked out from her cheek. "Killed it for you. I know just how much you loathe spilling blood."

Wash Buckler, using a tentative finger, poked at its carapace; the shell suddenly exploded, its flesh spraying up and out of its body. He'd jumped back right in time. The Mermasquid wasn't grossed out easily, but that made his tentacles quiver.

"Didn't you hear what I just said? Stomach. Rupture. Have you EVER eaten a Sandscooter before?"

"No," he plainly admitted. His diet consisted mainly of what Stink Bomb made for dinner, seafood, and a whole lot of junk food in-between. Donuts were a favorite, chiefly the ones with iced in pink and topped with sprinkles. And jelly-filled. And powdered. Really anything with sugar in it he'd eat. Anything bad for him, according to Spy Rise. But he'd never gotten sick from sweet treats before! Except maybe the time when he got the stomach flu from funnel cake at the carnival, the one he'd forced the Spyder to come along with. Or maybe was it the cotton candy? Ancients above, he loved that, too! The Mermasquid had to be carried home bridal style, nearing unconsciousness and mumbling babble.

Eating insects wasn't something he really did. That was for Drills and Stinks, not for him. Maybe if a gnat flew in his mouth, but nothing big and creepy and crawly. Especially not when its curled up legs reminded him of...

He winced as the words played through his head: "Let me tell you the truth! I'm apart of this game, too! You're vile, disgusting, absolutely repulsive!" Starting to shiver, Wash Buckler dropped the glass he'd been holding, it bursting into shards and spattering juice upon impact. He flinched as soon as it did, as if he hadn't expected for it to be so loud. Butler Greebs hurried to clean the spill, head ducked the entire time.

Empress Kalamity owlishly blinked. "Something wrong? You're shaking like a chihuahua."

"J-just thinking."

"Thinking? Hm. Not something you do often."

It returned: "Your stupidity is mindboggling! Simply mindboggling!"

Wash Buckler sunk back into his chair, hands squeezing the golden arms of it.

"Buckley, you know it's not gentlemanly to slump like that. Sit up straight. Where are your manners?"

Again: "You always smell like fish a-and you rarely ever clean those AWFUL tentacles of yours! It's like you were never taught any manners at all, with your sickening Neanderthal behaviors!"

The Mermasquid stood up straight as he was told, leaned forth, and slapped his hands to his face. He shakily breathed out, sucking in a sob. He couldn't cry, not here, not now, not in front of Kalamity. Gentlemanly or not, blinking away the tears, he put his elbows on the table and held his head up with his hands.

"Want to tell me what happened?"

He rubbed at his eyes and hiccuped. "N-no."

"Come on, Wash. You can tell me anything. I'm your mumsie, you're a child of the Darkness. We can talk."

A look of disgust ridden on his face, Wash Buckler lifted up the fork by the very edge of its end. He didn't want to eat—he couldn't eat. But if it'd get him out of here quicker, and if he did truly need this for whatever awaited him, he'd been willing to try. "You're not my mom." Scowling, the Mermasquid stabbed into the scattered meat around the imploded insect. Its flesh looked something akin to crab meat, taking away a bit of his fear, and it smelled somewhat like garlic.

Empress Kalamity ignored the comment and held up her glass, absently tapping a finger. In fact, after refilling her glass, she rambled about an entirely different topic. "This season is always the worst. All the humidity, the heat. Times like these is when I'm glad I'm stuck between reality. A luxurious prison, if I've ever clapped my eyes on one. Here, I can dream. I can have as many parties as I want to, I can be with all my friends. Why, I haven't even done much scheming in a while."

Wash Buckler thickly swallowed a chunk of meat, as chewing would make it worse. He hadn't done himself a favor, as he nearly choked, its texture slimy, slippery and stringy. With its strong odor and vile juices, it tasted like something he was supposed to cough up, not ingest. He'd rather stuff Stink Bomb's socks in his mouth! "We—" the Mermasquid wheezed, blinking away the tears caught in his eyes. "—are not friends."

"You've been invited, Skylander. I think it's safe to say we're friends. Chums, mates, buddies. We've known each other for quite some time now. Rather disheartening for you to say such a thing."

"Heh, yeah. Invited to a party full of everyone who wants to gut me like a fish."

She waved a hand. "Pishposh. We only want the best. For both of us, for all of us. With you meddlers out of the way, Skylands will be a better place. No fights, no famine. You know how it turned out in the yesteryears. I remember a time when stepping on evil's shoes was feared, now it's celebrated like a child's birthday, with balloons and bullhorns. Everyone's trying to do it. You're poisoning the minds of society, or at least whatever's rest of it."

"You don't care about society! Only about destroying it, those in it."

"I wouldn't dare! I care about ruling it, controlling—" Her words came to an abrupt stop and she, acting as if nothing ever happened, cleared her throat. "Enough about me. Let's talk about you, your team. How is everyone?"

A question Wash Buckler didn't know how to answer. He hadn't been there to protect them.

He'd hurt them.

The Mermasquid tapped the tines of the fork onto rim of the plate, five times in a row as he tried to drown out his voice. "I messed up."

"You what?"

_Ting, ting, ting, ting, ting._ "I messed up." _Ting._ "Badly."

Dabbing her lips with a napkin, she smothered a soft laugh. "When do you not? You're Wash Buckler. It's what you do." Her giggling stopped as soon as she landed her eyes onto the Mermasquid's face. Sullen, draining of its color. She frowned. "Oh, c'mon! Fess up! It pains me to see you this way. Ever, ever so much. Especially since your pain isn't even my doing!" she stood up from her seat. "Tell me what happened! What'd you do this time? You couldn't have done anything too bad. I mean, I felt something—something powerful, but that could've been you. That was too much Darkness; you wouldn't be here if that overtook you!"

He couldn't keep it bottled in; he never could. "I-it wasn't supposed to happen! I didn't—I didn't mean to hurt anyone! I-I couldn't control m-m-myself a-and I-I don't know if they're alright a-and I-I hurt Th-theo and I k-killed—" Two hands with skinny wrists placed themselves on his shoulders, then felt one go underneath his chin and nudge his head up. Empress Kalamity knelt down onto her knees, even more of a surprise to Wash Buckler as her dress got scuffed.

"I should've known," she sighed, gaze dropping. When she looked back up, her expression hardened. "Child, when will you learn that you cannot be pure? A goody two-shoes? No one can. It's impossible. You haven't lived if you've never gotten mad, if you haven't gotten jealous. Everyone does once in a while."

"But a Skylander is supposed—"

"To be brave and determined and blah-blah-blah and yada-yada. Ugh. No wonder you lashed out so violently. That agenda has been drilled into your head!" she rose to her feet. "You're a Skylander, but you're not a saint. You're not supposed to be! What happened to the real you? Be yourself! I'm a Dark Portal Master, I'm playing my role. You're a diamond-in-the-rough, overly-friendly guy who loves everyone, not a mopey push-over!"

The Mermasquid wasn't listening, body shivering and tears rolling down his face. "Can I...can...I go back?"

"I don't know. Can you?"

Tentacles writhing ontop of each other, Wash Buckler clenched his fists. He swallowed the lump in his throat, hardened his expression, and looked Kalamity square in her eyes. "May I go back?"

"Oh, of course. You can have anything you want! Not before desserts, though. You have GOT to try the Outlandish Truffles. Sniffed up by my best Evilized Boghogs."

* * *

_Children, known to be the greatest gift of life to some, known to be a pain in the tailbone for others. All were a handful to take care of, at least during infancy. They shoved inedibles into their mouths, took off their diapers, spit up all over clothes, pulled on hair, drooled on themselves, pushed away veggies and knocked over bowls of food. _

_Baby Mermasquids, or inklings, were no different._

_They started off small, barely developed, no bigger than the fingertip of an elf. Barely even fully formed. Anything from a Rain Fish to a minnow could think of them as a tasty snack. __Always born with together, lumped up in eggs and under the care of a meticulous mother. One that protected them with all her might, one that barely ever left their side._

_He lived by no such infancy._

_There'd been nothing for him, not now, not in this dark. Not in a crate. _

_He intertwined his tentacles around themselves and rocked back and forth, as if, on instinct, to simulate a mother's hold, the waving of the currents as she swam with the surviving few across her back. A state of anxiety, fear. Day after day, night after night. __Longing to see a face, maybe an arm, anything. __Anything to let him know he wasn't alone. __Cushioned by soft clothes and squishy accessories, all he had to cling onto was a do-rag, far bigger than his body; he'd eaten through a few fabrics, but all that gave him were stomachaches. All he could do was hear, feel, and smell. Hear people barking orders, feel the box being tossed around, smell the smoke of ships as they broke down. Always moving, always going someplace new, but never being able to see where. _

_Had he been unwanted? Had he been the last to hatch from his egg? Had he been a disappointment?_

_One day__—one fateful day__—he dreamt, dreamt up something beautiful. He'd been rescued by a Giant, like one in the in the stories his mother whispered about, big and kind. _

_And when he'd awoke?_

_Ink dripped down his tentacles._

_Not a dream._

_Eyes growing as wide as plates, pure white covered his skin. He'd heard of these monsters before._

_Part alligator, part crocodile, and all beast. Their teeth could snap spines in half! Their claws could shred steel! And here one was, lifting him in his wretched hold!_

_His eyes were gray orbs, with dark, slitted pupils like knives. Jagged teeth poked out from his mouth, this way, that way, a whole mess of fangs. His rugged skin was a pale blue, as if it were drained of color. A thick tail dragged behind him, slapping the ground. Two, stubby legs jutted out from his streamlined, barrel-chested body, one wrinkled, the other missing, replaced by a splintery-looking, old peg. The scaly build of Captain Skullcap was like that of a mutant creature from the Outlands, like something that had escaped an Arkeyan factory, something that should've been extinct._

_His mismatched garb, however, was totally outrageous! A bit comical, even! A humongous, black hat was speared through one of his horns, bedazzled by brilliant macaw and flamingo feathers, springing off from the bond; it looked as if it could fit on a Tyrannosaurus Rex. His ruffly frock was blue, and then red, and then purple, and then green, and then anything and everything else in the rainbow! His scaled belly hung over his big, studded belt. Patches upon patches of colors were all over him! He fixated his big, bow tie and all of his buttons, fancily. L__ooked more like a traveling, circus act more than a monster from the depths of the sea._

_Adding to his surprise, he cradled him in his arms, gave him a funny-tasting bottle to suck on..._

_...took him in. Adopted him. _

_At the age of four, he promised to return the favor, got his first sword._

_At the age of six, he went on his first pillage...and inked himself at the first sight of blood._

_At the age of twelve, he'd probably become the Tideslicer's biggest disappointment._

_Militia had been heavy around the backwater towns of Cloudbreak, something only to be expected. The poor would steal from the poorer, the ill would take from the sicker. No order, no control. Everyone and their mother knew of the harsh ways of Motleyville. What do take, what not do; how to take, how not to. _

_Unless one hadn't had a mother. _

_Little Buckley came to such a realization far too late. Or perhaps he couldn't be considered little anymore?_

_Being behind bars made him think so. _

_And that Skullcap had trusted him to steal something all on his own. _

_Juvenile detention was a whole lot better than prison, but being away from his family made him feel as if he'd been tossed down into the deepest bowels of the Underworld. _

_Underneath the covers, laying on his belly, he rubbed a finger over a photograph__—__a picture of Skullcap with a baby Mermasquid hanging from the bottom of his jaws, giggling. Wash Buckler smiled. He always kept a few pictures with him under his hat, just in case. Though he knew he'd get to see them again. Why, they were probably on there way right now!_

_He hoped._

_"Him? Y'sure? He isn't in the best of moods."_

_"Kid's got issues. Goes into attack mode within an instant, snaps like a twig."_

_As the sound of footsteps neared, the inkling shoved the photo beneath his pillow and plopped his head down. Guards. Always ruined everything for him. Just like yesterday._

_"He doesn't get along well with others. It's why he's moved all the way out here. The youngest we've had in a long time."_

_"Yeah, I'll say! Half-near killed a sixteen-year old with nothing but his tentacles!"_

_Wash Buckler huffed. Were they still going on about that? He'd done nothing wrong! They weren't even there to see what happened first! _

_Then he heard a different voice, one that couldn't describe in any other way but old. _

_"I'm not surprised. Young Mermasquids are never afraid to pick fights with those larger than them. It's something akin to teething, exercise for them to test how their tentacles fare. I'm sure he's just trying to get use to them; they have minds of their own, just as headstrong as their owners."_

_Teething? Pfft! He wasn't a baby! _

_"Hm, that so? Needs t'learn how to keep 'em to himself."_

_"That's why you're here, right?"_

_What? Who? Why? _

_Before he could try to take his head out of their shambles, he popped his head up at the sound of something hitting his bars, saw two mole-bears__—female and male__—and someone else. Something else? Wash Buckler had never seen anything, or anyone, like him in real life before, only in statues and mosaics. A __tall man, his skin fleshy, his beard white. He wore a helmet, horns poking up from the top. A staff was in his hands and a blue robe covered his body. A mage? Half of Wash Buckler felt intimidated, the other half felt intrigued. __Either way, he wasn't going anywhere. Not with him. They might've been pirates, but they at least taught him good lessons. One that he always, always followed was never to trust strangers. _

_Giving a sniff, Wash Buckler puffed out his chest, showed his fists, and fitted himself with a gruff voice. __"Who the heck are you?"_

_The elder gave a kind smile. "Just a traveler, a visitor. Looking for those in need__—__"_

_"I'm not in need! I don't need your help."_

_The male mole-bear took to the defensive, pressing his face against the bars and claws around them as if he wanted to get in. "Watch your mouth! Do you have ANY idea about who you're talking to?" he snarled._

_His mojo melted within seconds, his ferocity deflated. The young Mermasquid blinked. Feebly and sheepishly, he asked. "A-am I supposed to?"_

_The bearded man just laughed, while the mole-bear backed away and groaned. _

_"Apologies, Master Eon," rumbled the wooly male, crossing his arms. "This one isn't the sharpest tool in the__—"_

_"MASTER EON?! WHOA!" Buckley fell off the side of the bed, hitting the concrete with a wet slap. No harm done; he leapt back onto his tentacles...only to nearly trip over them as he rushed to the bars. His skin, thrown off, turned an alarming yellow. "I always imagined you to be, like, a wise turtle or something! Skullcap never told me you were a hairless ape!"_

_"He's not an__—"_

_The bottom of his staff connected with the floor, sounding a light tap. With that, the guards exchanged glances, whispered qualms.  
_

_In the female's burly hand, up rose a ring of keys._

* * *

_To the naked eye, the Draken Desert, named as such for the blackened hulls of hibernating Fire Vipers scattered about, their flames flickering on and off, seemed like something every traveler would want to avoid. Sandstorms kicked up without little to no warning, sinkholes appeared at random, hungry Viper neonates dragged unfortunate edibles down deep into their burrows, and the heat was just too much to bare. Coughed-up remains of poor riders and their birds, boiled in steaming lava, littered the ground, a warning for anyone who got too close._

_Definitely something every traveler SHOULD'VE avoided. Well, every inexperienced traveler..._

_Wash Buckler was no such person, no such Mermasquid._

_Revelers rose their drinks, gave hearty laughs, partaking in poker and wolf-whistling at the waitresses. A melting pot, Crocogators, Seadogs, and other seafarers. He sat at a booth, elbows on the table, head propped up upon his hands. _

_Camel's Hump, a home away from home. It'd gotten its name from its founders, a filthy-rich family of dromedary barons, and th__e mound-like structure it'd been built upon-the curled up spine of a Fire Viper. The whole place was really themed around them, one could say. The brains scooped out from their skulls, made into lamps that made light shine out of their sockets, their eyes served on platters, their bones made into beds. _

_He'd been lucky to have crashed a Stonesapien slaving ship around these parts. Of course, he and his brothers, the mutts dressed head to toe in fur while he'd been layered in slimy skin, managed to get everyone off before they made impact._

_But now he had no crew._

_Now he had no family._

_They'd left him. _

_He took off his hat, swiped away the sand, and stared. __The Mermasquid wouldn't have done that...he'd never think of doing that...how could they think it was him? _

_"Psssst."_

_Wash Buckler tore his eyes away when he felt a hand touch his shoulder. A rattlesnake, his scales shaped like diamonds, a pattern running down his tail, and eyes like ice. His hat had been off, too, as Western as it went, with a pair of black-tipped feathers sprouting off from its back. Waving the accessory at a group of giggling vixen passing by, he gave a sly smile. "Want to give it a try?"_

_He almost laughed. "Still at it, I see."_

_"Always am. Plenty of fine fish here, no?"_

_Making friends had never been too difficult for the Mermasquid. Unfortunately, a handful of his friends weren't really friends at all. Moochers, taking things behind his back, leeching off of his hard-earned cash from standing outside and selling fish all-day._

_Shakes__—__he refused to give out his real name, something about insurance purposes__—was just an average guy, so it seemed. Not a washed-up overlord, nor a outlawed bandit. Just a charmer, a smooth and slippery guy, who needed to lay down low until the price on his head died down. He talked with a silver tongue, even when it'd been too tied up and slathered in alcohol. Why he'd been out here instead of being the posterboy for menswear, instead of tapping glasses with rich barons, eluded him. But Wash Buckler didn't poke and prod at him for answers; he feared it would only ruin his chances for him to chat with someone who wasn't a money-grabbing, sword-stabbing corsair. What good would getting up into his business do? Coming here was a way to get away from all the bloodshed, all the slaughter. Until a traditional, old-fashioned bar fight broke out._

_"Is everything alright, friend?" the rattlesnake adjusted the toothpick sticking from his mouth with his forked, black tongue. "You haven't touched your dessert."_

_His reply came out in a half-mumble. "I'm not really hungry." He'd been convinced that it was anything but dessert, anything but cake, and more along the lines of stock cardboard. Every nibble, as little as it was, filled his mouth with artificially-flavored bursts and crunchy bits. The Mermasquid had eaten worse__—the diet of a seafarer consisted solely on gallons of liquor, morsels of rock-hard breads, and old cheese__—but since becoming a do-gooding vigilante his palette had definitely changed. Why, his Skyship had crates full of potato chips, fruity cereals, chocolate bars, and an assortment of fizzy drinks. Better than cardboard cake. So much better. "Just not feelin' it today."_

_"Sauna's open."_

_"Too hot."_

_"Rave? Saw you do tons of dirty dancing on that Dreadwalker. Thought you said you didn't play for the other team, eh?"_

_"Tentacles got stuck. Not dancing."_

_"Yeah. Right."_

_The strobe lights from last night were giving him an headache, the music ingrained into his head, as if it jammed its fingers in the crevices of his cranium. _

_Why he always agree to go to the rave? He liked to dance, but if it meant he'd be hearing techno swirling around in his siphons all-day, then he'd rather stay in his Skyship, dance by himself. It did ensure that his tentacles wouldn't be stepped on; every time they were each one had their own mini-migraine. _

_Shakes shrugged, took out his toothpick and downed the last of the beer bottle in his grip. "Welp," he slithered off his seat, "I'm off to see a man about a horse. Best to do it before I become incontinent, you know?" He let out a wheezing laugh before finally taking his departure, arms up by his side as he seemingly strut without legs. _

_He'd laid his head down, barely even noticed he left, barely cared. It was time to leave. _

_Breaking down in the middle of the Camels' Hump wasn't something he wanted to be known for._

_Wash Buckler rose onto his tentacles...only to stumble back and fall into his seat at the sound of a growl__—guttural and gravely. He'd assumed it'd been a Seadog feuding over food or a Squidface with an attitude. _

_Not a fox-girl, not a vixen._

_She'd pushed her way through the crowd of drunken revelers, her teeth ground and gritted. __The mascara around her eyes was running, her nose wet and her tail dusting the floor as it dragged. She wiped a bit at her snout with the back of her hand, tracing her fingers over her ginger ears with the other. Her cream-colored hair was what Wash Buckler could only describe as a poofball, high atop her head and bundled by bands. She took off the glasses that were perched on the bridge of her muzzle to scrub at her eyes, only spreading more of her makeup across her face. Before she could make it out of the sozzled sea, a pair of hulking arms grabbed her by her waist, brought her close to his blubbery side. A broken-tusked walrus, his lips puckered and his intentions clear._

_What everyone else saw probably wasn't someone who looked as if they'd been in danger, but fresh meat for the picking. _

_The Mermasquid hovered a hand over his cutlass._

_"Why the puppy-dog eyes, Feefee? Been missin' me?" he smirked, running a few fingers over his long whiskers. She slammed a foot down onto his own, but he hadn't released. "Thought yew said yew had papers t'write, peace treaties t'sign? Doesn't look like it t'me. If I didn't know any better, Phia, I'd say yew were sneakin' away from yer royal duties? Ain't that right?"_

_Phia spoke in a tone that could startle a Stonesapien from its slumber. "Get off."_

_He did the exact opposite, letting his whiskered face touch hers, puffing out hot air from his nose as he whispered. His hand was steadily going down her spine, dropping lower and lower and lower until..._

_She drew back and socked him right in the kisser. His stubby legs stumbled; with a yelp, he fell back and crushed the table of a group of gamblers, who were none too happy to have their games interrupted. _

_The Mermasquid couldn't help but smile__—__grin, even. His laughs filled the newly-birthed silence, but not for long._

_He felt her gaze, saw her stomping towards him. Wash Buckler braced, tightening up and squinted his eyes. She merely went around him, over to the empty stools by the end of the bar, and continued to sob. __If there was anything he needed to be worried about, he figured, it'd be his own safety. Yet he __couldn't bare to see anyone cry. Something always switched on inside him, quick and impossible to stop. Without hesitation, the Mermasquid accompanied her._

_"Hey, hey," he started, slow and soft. Fearing he might've come off a bit creepy if he got any closer, the Mermasquid reached out a hand that hovered over her shoulder. "Are you alright? Sorry about pug-face over there," he jabbed a finger over his shoulder, "people around here are pervs. And jerks. And blockheads. And__—hey, are you okay?"_

_Phia was clawing into the table, shredding its wood and giving herself splinters. She didn't seem to care. "They took him, they took him, they took him," her lips spouted out a litany, her tail whipping at the air. "Ancients, it's all my fault."_

_"Took who?"_

_"Paws."_

_"They took whose paws?"_

_The fox-girl eyed him, her brows slanted and her mouth drawing into a grimace. She lifted a claw, it tensing, as if she'd been ready to strike...but it fell back down with a flop, along with her head. "My bird. Paws."_

_A lot of those in Woodburrow were feather-brains__—__a derogatory term used to mock those who choose to fly around on big birds and act as if they could speak to them, the clouds around them, and the universe itself. An avian-themed hippie, really. Carrier birds happened to be a favorite among those of the foresty hamlet. They didn't tire easily, their backs could support a multitude of weight, and they weren't as temperamental as others could be. One of the old Chieftesses owned hundreds of the squawky mattresses, along with replacing the Counsel with EVEN MORE birds. Feather-freaks, more like._

_"Paws the Bird? Like, cat paws?"_

_"Paws."_

_Wash Buckler arched his own brows, but didn't say anything. He knew just how attached he'd been to his pet, a little hermit crab he called Speedy, and just how devastated he was when he learned he'd been eaten by one of his brothers. "Who took him? Poachers?"_

_"Ravagers. S-scorpion ones."_

_At that word, he, too, began to scrape at the table, cutlass in hand. But not out of wary, not out of stress. Saying it aloud would__—_

_"You're a Skylander?!"_

_The cutlass fell to the floor with a clank. _

_And tons of eyes were on him. _

* * *

_A seafarer like him had been used to sharing. Sharing a mug of frothy rotgut, sharing meals, sharing beds._

_Loosely sharing. More or less borrowing. Taking._

_A pillow curled itself over his head, his face deep into the bedraggled mattress under him and his tentacles drooping off the sides. __The whirring of the record player bringing itself to__ life made him try to sink further, the hum as the vinyl turned. Wash Buckler rolled himself back to the center of the bed and moaned._

_Having a furnace knight as a roommate hadn't been turning out as fun as he thought it would._

_A conformist teaming up with an individualist in a tent, and under a dormant volcano no less, sounded like the beginning of a bad joke._

_Wash Buckler rubbed above his brows._

_And putting Skylands in the hands of a guy like him sounded__ like a worse one._

_"Is something wrong, my liege? Why are you not dancing? Do you wish to hear a different ballad? I thought this one was your favorite."_

_His eyes shot open and his fingers clamped onto the linen._

_That word._

_Every time he heard that, every time it was spoken, the Mermasquid felt queasy__—nauseous, even. He wasn't ready. He wasn't prepared for any of this. His tentacles curled, a sign of a stressed Mermasquid. Just how did Master Eon expect this to work?_

_"Oh__—sorry, sire! Er, sir. Uhm, my Wash Buckler."_

_Somewhat of a smile went across his face. He couldn't stay sour at him for long. "Friend. Try friend."_

_"Yes. Friend."_

_There'd been no point in trying to go back to sleep. With a yawn, stretch, and a scratch, he rose like a zombie from a grave. "Ugh, sweet Neptune," the leader of this newly-founded, unfinished crew __—if one could even call it that__—__winced, "I feel like I've been trampled by a bunch of Boghogs." Some part of him wished it'd been something he'd eaten, or maybe because he hit his head against something, but he knew that wasn't true._

_Blast Zone drifted towards the foot of the bed, his robust chest sticking out in the most ridiculously-noble of fashions. A real Skylander. "Do you need assistance?"_

_He put a hand up. "I'm fine, I'm fine. Just a little woozy. Probably because you woke me up so early." Wash Buckler put emphasis on the last word, rousing the Fire Skylander to turn his head away a bit. The Mermasquid threw his blankets off the bed and onto the floor. "You hungry? I put the munchies around here somewhere."_

_"Wash Buckler, might I suggest that we preserve our supplies?"_

_He pulled a few boxes out from under the bed, all bound together by a set of ribbons. Woodburrowers really, really liked him. Some of them, at least. __"Yeah, sure. You can suggest it, doesn't automatically mean I'm gonna listen to it. Ah, there! Marshy Moos! Oh, how I've missed you, Marshy the Marshmellow Cow." Pressing the box up to his face, he traced a finger over its front, over the cartoonish-depiction of a blue bovine. "It's, like, the best cereal ever."_

_"Wash Buckler, if you want to eat something, you should eat__—__"_

_"I'm gonna be a order-barking, finger-pointing, volcano-guarding leader of the Skylanders. I need nutrients," he said, grabbing his cutlass and slicing through the powdered plastic. "Smells so gooood."_

_"Wash Buckler..."_

_"Alright, alright. I get it. Sheesh. I'll get the one with the dried strawberries in it."_

_Blast Zone definitely had to be the clingiest furnace knight he'd ever met. __Wherever Wash Buckler went, Blast Zone followed. He'd even wait behind the door of the bathroom. From what the Memasquid understood, all furnace knights had a follow-the-leader complex. They'd find someone, perhaps a person who was highly regarded or someone of royalty, and be bound to them for life. It was freaky. In a way. _

_Wash Buckler began to shake the box and pour the honey-saturated bits down his throat. And they said these were healthy? If not for his munching, the chirping of nearby birds, and the music, it would've been absolutely silent. This was definitely going to take some getting used to._

_"Are you afraid of something, Wash Buckler?"_

_"What am I afraid of? Uh, definitely sea turtles and grunge bands. Have you seen a sea turtle's teeth before? Imagine one being the lead singer of a grunge band. Gave me nightmares for years. Still does."_

_"Are you afraid of becoming leader?"_

_He sat down at the edge of his bed; his chewing slowed. "What makes you say that?"_

_"You'll come to realize that I'm very perceptive. I already know of your turtle-rocker fear. Heard you in your sleep. I've also seen you pace about at night. I know that you whisper to the same, set of photos you always take with you under your hat. You grow more and more restless every night." Blast Zone tilted his head; he looked like a fiery owl in armor. "Is that what's bothering you?"_

_Wash Buckler wrenched his hands. "N-no." _

_"You're turning green."_

_"Yeah, so?"_

_"You're lying."_

_He gave a groan and sprawled himself out on the bed. "I don't know. Maybe. Kinda." the Mermasquid rolled over onto his front. "I'm a little nervous. I mean, it's just that...you can't deny that it's weird? Look at me. I've got three hearts, no bones, chameleon skin__—" He lifted up a few of his tentacles. "And all of these things have minds of their own. I'm an abomination. N-not this...heroic warrior that all those kooks in Woodburrow are making me out to be. You heard that old Gillman guy. I'm floppy...and I smell bad."_

_"Oh, hush. If you don't have any respect for yourself, how do you expect to have respect for your teammates if you don't have any respect for yourself? Nitpicking into every, little detail, yanking yourself down a hole. Who's to say what a hero looks like and doesn't look like?"_

_"Master Eon."_

_"He picked you, didn't he?"_

_"Yeah, but," the Mermasquid brought himself up straight, "why aren't you considered leader? You sound a lot more like one than I do. Weren't you in the Bomb Squad? I think a guy who's good at disabling bombs is pretty good at instructing already. And you said you were here before me, right?"_

_Blast Zone froze. His fire dulled, his body lowered. _

_"Dude?"_

_His head shook, squeaking as it did. "It doesn't matter, just..." his words came to a close. "I need to do something."_

_Wash Buckler, with curious eyes, watched as he drifted near the opening of the tent. He rose a finger. "Can I ask you__—__"_

_"No."_

_"Are you afraid of something?"_

_His flames violently spouted out from his vents and he seemingly glared, but, with a huff, returned his attention back up front and drifted outside._

_The Mermasquid was quick to follow._

* * *

_"You're in cahoots! With the enemy!"_

_Static crackled from inside the boxy television, its antennae poking out. Noise speckled the black-and-white images._

_"It's not like that! You've got to believe me!"_

_Eyes glued to the screen, Wash Buckler stuffed a handful of buttery popcorn into his mouth and munched, puffy bits dropping as he did. He wiped his hand across the couch he'd been sitting on and sat back, arms behind his head. With liters of soft drinks at his tentacles and boxes of chewy candies by his side, the Mermasquid had completely forgotten about a pirate's life, as a Skylander's life suited him far better. Or at least suited his stomach. A supply drop-off had never been sweeter. Literally!_

_A perfect Friday night until..._

_...he heard it._

_Two words: log date. It wasn't long until he caught ear of whirring, the skittering of legs and the squishing as they punctured the muddy earth._

_He didn't know whether to roll his eyes or get all giddy inside, whether to listen to him or try to watch the rest of Ickznars v. Zombototrons._

_After days upon days of staying silent, staying out of the way of everyone else, the Spyder was up and about! Talking!_

_Spy Rise always acted standoffish around him__—__all of them, really. It was something that'd stayed with him ever since recruitment._

_A thing that Wash Buckler wanted to rid from him. That Spyder was proving to have a tough shell to crack, however. Spy Rise, or Theo__—__although he never like being called as such as it, apparently, blew his cover__—didn't really like to do much other than fiddle around with his inventions or read books all-day. One of those egg-heads, the Mermasquid figured, the type Skullcap always warned told him stay clear of. No one really talked to him, but Spy Rise seemed to like it that way._

_Well, everyone besides Wash Buckler._

_"Dearest Father, it's officially been one month since I've left, yet I still am not feeling at home around my newest colleagues. They're not like me. None of them, not even the Ultron. I'm growing sick of their incessant games. What even is the point in arm-wrestling? The point in chugging contests? A-and then seeing how loud you can possibly expel the air afterwards? Gah! Even just thinking about it makes me cringe! __I can't fathom how they can get such satisfaction out of it!" __The point? Fun! How could he not find that in the least bit fun? Stirring up some competition never hurt anyone!_

_Except maybe the time his hand got crushed by Rubble Rouser..._

_He tossed a handful of saltwater taffies into his mouth, maneuvering them into pockets of his mouth like a chipmunk. Eh. _

_"I am no heathen. I swear, I've been assigned into the wrong group." Heathen? What even was that? An insult? Or maybe a compliment? Sometimes it was like he was just making up words as he went along. "They're like nothing I've ever..." His sentence drawled itself out before coming to an abrupt pause. Wash Buckler heard quickened whirring and the clinking of legs as they skittered closer. It wasn't long until he felt heat behind him and saw a shadow arise over him. "What are you doing?"_

_"Eeming mwunchies and mwatching flimps," the Mermasquid spoke around the chewy mouthful. "Whmat arh yuhm dwuing?"_

_"Trying to wrap my head around what you're doing. It's three in the morning."_

_"Mhows yur dwad?"_

_"My what?"_

_"Dweerest Phather."_

_"For Ancients' sake, spit whatever you're chewing on out!"_

_"I swaid," Instead, the Mermasquid pulled the wad of taffy out and stuck it onto the arm of the sofa. If he'd learned anything on the Tideslicer, it'd been to never waste a meal, "how's your dad? Is he still there?"_

_"Wh__—"_

_"Hey there, Mr. Rise! How've you been? I just wanna say that your son is settling in quick! He's really great at blasting baddies in the face and__—"_

_"Wash Buckler, he's not there!"_

_The Mermasquid turned around to face him and squinted. "Then why do it? Record log dates? I thought you could, like, send them over to him with your techno-skills or something."_

_Spy Rise drew the recorder to his side and pressed one of its buttons, a click sounding. His eyes seemed to search around for something before narrowing down to slits. "Why do you care? Why do you care so much about me?" _

_"I don't like seeing people alone."_

_He snorted. "I'm not alone."_

_"Not anymore," agreed Wash Buckler, as he cleared the cushion next to him of half-eaten chips and cans of soda. "Sit with me. It's Friday, you're not supposed to be up and pacing around."_

_"Just what am I supposed to be doing then?"_

_"Hanging out with friends. And seeing as how everyone else is asleep..."_

_After giving a heavy, hefty huff, the Spyder surrendered and sat. Awkwardly, not to mention, with his two front legs hanging, the others sprawled. His arms were folded, but his glare, however, hadn't stayed for long as he arched a brow in confusion. "What is this?"_

_"Ickznars versus Zombototrons. It's a B-movie classic. You missed a lot so let me just give you a quick run down of what's happening. So, this guy, a kooky scientist, made this inter-dimensional portal using this ray-gun-thing and__—__"_

_A harsh scoff cut him off. "Looks like a F-movie to me. Stiff acting, even worse costume design for these Izkar monstrosities."_

_"Ickznars."_

_"Whatever. It's not even a real name."_

_"Dude, this is science-fiction. Doesn't have to be believable."_

_"Fine. But they should've at least took a bit of consideration into biology. These things, with their ridiculous anatomy, look structurally unsound. Why do they did five mouths? What's with their crab claws? Why are there tentacles on their heads? Laser guns don't go pew-pew-pew. Why are they going pew-pew-pew?"_

_"I'm no genius or anything, but maybe if you watched you'd find out?"_

_Spy Rise stayed silent and, satisfied, Wash Buckler returned his attention back to the screen, _

_"You turned me into a monster!"_

_"For science! An ambassador for the new world!"_

_Hankering for something else to munch on, the Mermasquid, using his tentacles, lifted up a box stained with tomato sauce. He flipped its lid up and frowned. The expression hadn't stayed long, as an idea popped into his head. __"You hungry?" he held out a slice of greasy pizza, its cheese nearly sliding right off and onto the couch. "This is the last one. It's a bit cold. Olives, sardines, pineapples, mushrooms, peppers, and__—__the best part__—__super-stuffed, cheesy crust!"_

_Spy Rise's face scrunched. He pushed away the slice with a half-shudder. "I had a fair helping of aspic, no thanks. I fear only ingesting whatever type of chimera that is would only make me gag."_

_"Aspic? Y'mean that see-through stuff that jiggles and stuff?"_

_"Translucent, and yes."_

_"Aren't you supposed to, like, put food into that?"_

_"I don't like to. Everything'll be touching, getting contaminated. I don't even know how you can eat a pizza having sardines AND pineapples on it!"_

_Wash Buckler already had half of it hanging from his mouth. "Hm?" _

_"Nevermind."_

_They both went silent, the Spyder judging the film with his glares, the Mermasquid searching his head for how to approach next. He decided to keep the topic of food going. __"So that's your favorite food? Cool, cool. Mine's oyster crackers. They're not made from oysters, but they taste just as great. No, no, no, wait, I really, really like waffles, too. And pancakes. What's your ideal breakfast?"_

_"Aspic."_

_"J-just..." his face crumpled. "...aspic?"_

_"Just aspic."_

_"Where does all that aspic you eat go?" A question that'd bothered him since the Spyder arrived, since he found out what a robot was. _

_"Back in its storage case."_

_"No, like, afterwards."_

_"Into my abdominal cavity."_

_"Afterwards afterwards."_

_"Nothing."_

_Oh, that had to be a lie. "So you don't use the bathroom?"_

_Horror crossed his face and his legs fidgeted. He made a noise that sounded as if he had his wires ripped from him, a scream, a shriek. "Never!"_

_"You've never? But how? It doesn't make sense; it can't stay inside you forever. You've seriously never felt the satisfaction of__—"_

_"No, never, stop talking."_

_Wash Buckler opened his mouth to say something, but bit his lips and turned away. Watching a movie was how Phia opened up to him, about being next in line, about being a Chieftess. Same with Blast Zone. Maybe it didn't work for everyone? He grabbed the remote and turned up the volume. _

_It'd been quiet, sudden, Wash Buckler thought it'd part of the film._

_"You don't understand. I thought I'd made it clear. I'm not like you. I wasn't made to be like you. I was made to be the exact opposite. Made to be perfect, pure. A child without all the mess, a son someone could be proud of. I didn't bang on pots and pans or chase frogs through the filthy mud. Blow bubbles in milk or write on the walls. Didn't disobey. Didn't backtalk. Just stayed around in the house all day, all night. Talked to myself when he wasn't there, made friends in my head." Spy Rise touched the side of his face, gaze on the grass. "I remember trying to cry, yet finding myself that I couldn't. Couldn't kick a ball without having it fly out of the park. Kids always used to call me a cheater, a fraud. Said that I was fake. Cut my wires, tripped my legs. Even then I couldn't fight back." The movie went on mute. "That'd lead to bruises, which tears, which led to drama, which made a great, big mess. Imprecise, corrupt messes. I-I couldn't even go out into the rain without rusting in it!" Wash Buckler flinched at the shout, the popcorn he'd hugged to him thrown up into the air. "__It's funny. The only time I could do anything was when he had one of his conferences. Where I'd be showed off, poked by pens, judged by fat cats. The worst part was knowing that even if I ran away, I'd be ridiculed. Not that my disappearance would matter. I could always just be replaced. Maybe he'd work on one that didn't have a nasal malfunction, that didn't blow a gasket whenever they felt mad, that didn't ramble on and__—what?"_

_Wash Buckler pressed a finger up to his closed mouth. _

_Spy Rise cocked a brow, but then widened his eyes and put his hands over his own mouth. He looked sideways in embarrassment, or at least something that looked like it. "Apologies. I got too carried away. I didn't mean to disturb the__—" _

_The Mermasquid brought him closer with his tentacles and wrapped his arms around him. "You're not perfect. But that doesn't matter." He looked up into his eyes, those which were riddled with confusion and shock. "I think that just makes you, well, you. Spydey."_

_"I-I'd prefer Spy Rise, if you don't mind. A-and, please, no more touching. The scans I've written up on your hands are enough to startle a toilet seat."_

* * *

_Depression hurt._

_Chocolate helped._

_Lots and lots and lots of chocolate. Even if they were all sugar-free._

_He wondered if Trap Shadow was having fun pouncing on the balloons he'd left at the Cave._

_Sucking wafer crumbs off his fingers and caramel off his lips, a pale-skinned Wash Buckler sat on a bench, his tentacles slowly swinging and swaying. A fuzzy, stuffed bear accompanied him, leaning against his slouching side; a pink heart-shaped box was placed on the other. He'd picked them up at a the clearance section of a department store. Rescued them, he'd joked. _

_These weren't for him._

_"Come on, come at me! I'm ready!"_

_"Yeh sure?"_

_"I'm sure!"_

_"Sure yer sure?"_

_"Bring it on!"_

_His head snapped up and he went white at the sound of stone clattering together, drills scraping the rocky floor. An arena probably hadn't had been the best place to mope around in, but the two golems had forced him out of the Cave. It'd been a sunny afternoon, the air crisp and grass green, a day the civvies of Cloudbreak would spend flying kites or going ballooning. Yet, here he was, the almighty protector of the Ancient Elementals, __nibbling on peanut butter cups and pecan turtles. Pathetic._

_"That all you got?"_

_"Nah, I'm just gittin' warmed up!"_

_A half-smile crept onto his face. Rubble Rouser and Doom Stone were always out here, always sparring. It was almost unnatural how they got along so well. If they weren't sparring, then they were training, taking apart something broken, making new things, or just talking. About which type of pebble tasted better, about which villain was better at their job. _

_Together. The Mermasquid dropped his gaze, let out a sigh. It was almost unfair._

_An avid fighter, Doom Stone wasn't always so agreeable with whatever Rubble Rouser wanted to do, but never threw fits if they didn't have any time left to rumble in the arena. He was happy just joining alongside the Stonesapien, even if the only thing they had planned was rock-hunting. _

_Wash Buckler flinched when a pair of drill feet neared, the friendly fire stopped. He tried to force his skin to regain its bright, blue color, but it proved to be a fruitless attempt._

_Rubble Rouser saw that he was upset. And he wasn't going to be leaving anytime soon. __"What's with all this? It ain't Valentine's Day. Yeh not still upset about Phia, are yeh?"_

_He shook his head. No, no, he'd been long over Phia. She had her job, he has his. _

_"Yeh wanna join? Free for all?"_

_Again. "No, I'm alright. Don't want to step on anyone else's toes," the Mermasquid straightened up. "Think I did enough of that already."_

_Little laughs escaped from him. "Y'mean digits? Don't think Spy has any toes."_

_"Yeah. Those."_

_The Stonesapien frowned. "Wash, what's wrong? Yeh still haven't told me the whole story. Just that ya'll went to one o' them sci-fi conventions and brassbutt threw a fit over something. That ain't nothin' to be all gloom-and-doom about. He does that every time something goes wrong, without fail."_

_"And it's always my fault."_

_Rubble Rouser, waving a dismissive hand, sat down next to him and snorted. "Don't let 'im git t'yeh. Yeh know how stuck up he can be at times." He gripped an arm around him; he could've crushed him like that if he wanted to. "I'm guessin' yeh two got into a spat over comic characters again? Mighty Man versus the Brutalizer, right?"_

_If there was anything the two multi-leggers had in common, it was their adoration for the world of science fiction and fantasy, graphic novels and cosplay. In fact, Wash Buckler was the one who introduced it to him! His father never let him, so he had a lot to catch up on. Rewatching Megamechazilla and Megamechazilla 2: Return of Super Frilla did have its perks. _

_"A bit. Ickznars over Robototrons. I dressed up as Commander Ilks, he dressed up as a Robototron."_

_"So that was Stink Bomb was makin' fer yeh? Hm. Didn't have the slightest clue what that thing was. And I thought Spy hated those movies?"_

_"Whaaat? No!" the Mermasquid sounded incredulous. "He loves them! Can't get enough of them!" Just like all the girls who came up to ask him how he made his eyegear, how he got so shiny. "All he was talking about the short time we were there. About how much he wishes modern films could be just like it, how the characters have such intriguing arcs__—whatever that means." He tightened his grip around the heart-shaped box, denting its sides. "I wouldn't really call it a spat. More or less a squabble, y'know? Like we always have. No fists or anything, just an, uh, very opinionated conversation about which alien race has the best weapons. Naturally, I went for the Ickznars. Those dudes might not be covered with tons of mini-guns or anything, but they're better fighters!" Rubble Rouser let out mm-hmms as he listened. Or at least tried to understand what in Skylands was coming from Wash Buckler's mouth. "No need for all that hyper-mechanical stuff. Just old-fashioned clubs and swords and battle parrots. They're pretty much space-pirates, which is TOTALLY awesome. So awesome that they don't need plasma rays or heat vision,_

_"I guess we were getting kinda loud, because a crowd was drawing in. Even stopped a few dudes from going into their panels." The thought made Wash Buckler giggle. His mirth wouldn't stay for long, however. "And then," he rubbed his neck, "this Metallanan chick stepped in. Not to break up the fight, but to have my six. She surprised both of us, made us stop."_

_"Wait, wait," interjected Rubble Rouser, making Wash Buckler tense up. "lemme guess where this is headed." He traced his chin with a finger. "Did yeh both fight for the affection of that poor gal?"_

_"Uhhhh, yeah. Y-yeah, totally."_

_Rubble Rouser groaned, a hand to his head. "Aah, Wash. Yeh can't just do that."_

_"I know, I know, i-it's bad to do that to__—__" He blurted out to cover himself, to cover his cover story. "I mean, did I say she had MY six?!" the Mermasquid let out a few bouts of fake laughter. "Silly me. I meant that she had HIS six. Spydey's six, not mine. And I-I, you know, fueled by testosterone and all, got super-jealous that he had this sweet, sexy babe__—__" he nearly cringed. There were few things that grossed him out, but hearing those words come out of his own mouth made him want to gag. That sounded like something Boom Jet would say. "__—all over him."_

_"So is that who all these gifts are for? That girl? That girl who doesn't even like yeh?"_

_"Yup." Nope. Definitely not._

_Rubble Rouser pulled an incredulous face, but Doom Stone? _

_He chuckled so hard his shoulders bounced. __"Chocolate treats and stuffed ursa don't attract women! Blood sports do!" Giving a grin, the gladiator flexed; Wash Buckler could've sworn he saw a twinkle of light shine over Doom Stone's teeth. "Show her how strong you are. She'll be swooning, swept right off her feet. Works all the time." _

_As the rocky warrior showed off his gun show to an invisible audience, his Stonesapien friend bit into a pecan turtle...only to stick his charcoal-colored tongue out let it drop off of it. "Yeh said yeh were gonna give that to a girl? Without all the sugar an' stuff in it?"_

_Wash Buckler answered with a meek shrug. "She likes it that way?"_

_"Yeh don't even know that! Do yeh know how goofy yeh sound right now?" he exclaimed. Spitting out the remnants, the hammer-wielder made a disgusted noise. "Yeck. Only Spydey'll be able to eat something that bland." Regaining his composure, the Stonesapien searched for something else inside the box that'd satisfy him. "I'll just tell yeh the same thing I told Freeze Blade. Yeh know all this is a lost cause if she's not interested. Waste o' money, waste o' time. Can't just show up on Metallana with a bunch o' goodies and expect her to come runnin' up and smotherin' yeh with kisses. World doesn't work that way. People don't work that way. Yeh can't just force yerself onto folk; just plain wrong. Love is hard. Takes time, effort, commitment an' a whole bucket o' more things. Don't believe everything yeh hear, Wash. Ain't no such thing as true love on first sight. Puppy crushes don't stay forever. __An' that opposites attract nonsense. Ugh. Can't stand it. Maybe sometimes, but not often. What happens if yer an outside guy and yer partner just wants to stay inside all day? What happens if yer a dog person and yer partner's a cat person? Sure, some can learn to tolerate their differences, but, I mean, just look at yeh an' Spy! Darn near kill each other over freakin' grape juice stains!" Rubble Rouser chortled, slapping a knee._

_Wash Buckler forced a laugh. He found it to be the only thing he could do at the moment._

_"Say, what's this?" Before the Mermasquid knew it, Rubble Rouser had a letter in his hands. Wash Buckler slapped it out of his grip with a tentacle with a yelp. "Don't worry, don't worry. I ain't gonna read it. Just wanna see the name." And he did just that. _

_Kind of._

_"Ooooh-het? Oeht? This chickscratch? Funny name. Oeth? That Greek or something, Doomy?"_

* * *

_It was a normal morning. He woke up, did his stretches, ate breakfast..._

_...and then felt his body go numb, his eyes blur, his world go dark._

_"You're not going to like this, but I need to do a run down of everything. A check-up."_

_It was supposed to be a normal morning. _

_"What's a check-up?" Foam bubbled out from the corner of his lips, drool dripping onto his hands as his thumbs wildly fiddled. His muscles were still contracting, flexing and relaxing, flexing and relaxing; he tried to take his mind off of it by clenching the thin paper he sat on. Through his strained eyes, he could only see blue. They burned, hot tears stuck in his ducts. __He wondered if this was what a fish felt like in its last moments of life, suffocating slowly, struggling to fight the inevitable. Wash Buckler knew it, but Spy Rise didn't want to believe it, didn't want to admit it. "You said the c-convulsions would stop. I-It's cold," the Mermasquid's voice trembled. "Spy, it's cold. I feel cold." __Yet he'd been bundled up in five layers of blankets._

_"I know, I know. I know what I said, j-just stay calm," the Spyder struggled to unwrap something; when he did, the bag tore and half of the fuzzy-topped sticks inside fell out, but he managed to grab one before it hit the floor. "Open up." Wash Buckler was hesitant, but did as he was told and nearly gagged when he felt something twirl about in his throat, wipe the sides of it. The Spyder retracted the tool, put it back inside its ripped bag, and grabbed something else. _

_"I-I taste blood!" he panicked, darting away from whatever he was about to place on his chest._

_"You coughed up a lot earlier. Please, Wash, let me help you. Stay still."_

_The Mermasquid gasped when the cold metal touched his skin. _

_"It's fine, you're fine. Just a stethoscope. Breathe in and out."_

_Wash Buckler did as he was told, giving out shivery, shaken breaths. Without warning, something poked itself into his siphon, his ear, and he screamed. It pulled out immediately when the doorknob shook, falling from Spy Rise's gloved hand with a loud clatter._

_Their questions came in full-force, overlapping each other:_

_"Is he okay?!"_

_"Spy, what's going on?! What're you doing?"_

_"What was that?!"_

_The Spyder barely replied, too transfixed on his work. Like always. Instead, he hurriedly mumbled. "Only after effects from the seizure, nothing more, nothing less. He's fine, he's fine." Skittering sounded; he went off to grab something else. "Where are they? Where'd I put them?" As he began searching through a box, his voice became louder. "And you said you've had parasites before? Tapeworms? __You don't think these could be __one? There's tons all over Skylands__—__tons. Could be brain-eating larvae."_

_The Mermasquid roughly swallowed and opened his mouth to reply, but a cough cut him off. His throat stung, his throat was scratchy. He needed water. More than ever. A dehydrated Mermasquid was not a content, nor comfortable, Mermasquid. His intestines were tangled, twisted. Using all his strength to move his arm and put wrap it around his stomach, Wash Buckler mustered out a bubbly noise and moaned a low "sssspppy" before__ lurching forth, bringing up black bile onto the blankets with a raucous retch. _

_Spy Rise was there in a milisecond, a pail in his hands, a mask over his mouth. "In the bucket! In the bucket!" _

_Wash Buckler did as he was told, hugging it close to his chest as another wave of nausea hit. Far more violent, far more unpleasant. As it came to a close, a whine escaped from the back of his throat. Tiny, pitiful whine. Contents emptied, he laid his head up against the back of the wall as Spy Rise took away the soiled blankets. "Sorry." He truly was. "I'm sorry."_

_"It's...it's fine. You're fine. No harm done." A forced smile etched itself onto his face. His eyelids twitched with every second; he looked as if he was trying his hardest not to shriek. "B-besides, now we've discovered another symptom. And that is apparently...gastrointestinal." Using the tips of his fingers, he took off one of his gloves; it'd been stained. "I've got something to sample, too."_

_Wash Buckler barely even heard him, barely even knew he said anything. Squeezing his eyes shut, the sickly Skylander tried to sleep, to succumb. _

_He'd jolted up when he saw what'd Spy Rise planned to use next. A syringe, filled with a yellowish-liquid._

_A shot. A needle._

_The pit in his emptied stomach exploded into a vertex. He put up a hand to slap it away, but the Spyder was quicker to swat at him. "S-spy, no! Get it away from me!" _

_"Hold still!" _

_Wash Buckler didn't listen, did everything he could to get away. Knocked over the bucket, flailed his tentacles. But the needle didn't go away, the Spyder didn't care. "Y-you're trying to hurt me! Help!" the Mermasquid shrieked as loud as he could, his voice strained. "Get it away from me! Th-theo, stop!"_

_Bang, bang, bang! A heavy fist drummed the door._

_"Wash Buckler, I'm trying to help you! Now, hold still!"_

_"You're trying to poison me! You're trying to__—" The needle sank into his arm, into its crevice. His pupils dilated. He could feel it slithering into his bloodstream, freezing him up. It took only two seconds, yet it felt as if it'd been two hours. Feeling it overtake his nerves, stop his convulsions. After a quick pinch, it was out. He felt something drip down his arm and to his fingers, but he hadn't cared. He felt something sticky attach itself to his puncture, but he hadn't cared. _

_The world slowed. _

_Just as the Spyder started to turn, go off and meddle with something else, a tentacle shot out and wrapped itself around his wrist. "You knew about this," he squeezed, twisting and tightening and turning colors. Fading into black. His words came out like shrapnel. " Y-you knew. You knew, didn't you? You knew. You knew."_

_The Spyder was struggling, clenching his hands down onto what held him and trying to yank it off. He was saying something, but it was unclear. All Wash Buckler could hear was the crackling of electricity, the fizzes of ripped wires. _

_"You did this to me. You did this."_

_Green burned in his eyes as the Spyder brought out its weapon, its stinger._

_"Your father would be so disappointed."_

_The Spyder retracted it, features softening. _

_A mistake._

* * *

**_Did I ever mention to you guys that I really, really like cephlapods? Well, there. I do. Pretty sure a siphon isn't an ear and a funnel isn't Wash's bum, but, I don't know, I needed names for them._**

**_Want a nautilus Skylander naoooow._**

**_I'll get around to replying to reviews from Chapter 25 later! Gonna go hit the hay! Had a cold since last week. Getting better, but got plenty of headaches starin' at this screen. Hope you all enjoyed! Hope I can explain the funnels and hecto-thingymajigs of Mermasquids some day, too._**

**_think i'm gonna turn spy and wash going to a sci-fi con into an untold chap. explain a bit._**


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